THIS is the dramatic moment the Coastguard rescue Airdrie surfer Matthew Bryce who had been stranded at sea for a day and a half clinging onto his surf board.
The Coastguard released the footage of the rescue of the 22-year-old on Facebook today.
They praised Mr Bryce’s surfing knowledge after rescuing him at around 7.30pm last night, drifting 13 miles from the Argyll coast
He was initially reported missing by his family when he failed to return from a surfing trip off the Argyll coast of Scotland on Sunday afternoon.
Police Scotland launched an investigation into the disappearance after becoming concerned that the young man was last seen at around 9am on Sunday in the St Catherines area, believed to be heading to Westport Beach near Campbeltown.
The coastguard also launched a large-scale search, with rescue teams from Campbeltown, Southend, Gigha, Tarbert and Port Ellen all involved.
He was eventually found by a search and rescue helicopter before he was rushed to a Belfast Hospital for treatment for hypothermia. The coastguard said his body temperature was very low.
The coastguard believe his knowledge and wetsuit saved his life. Conditions in the Irish Sea were also “fairly benign” throughout Monday.
Mr Bryce, pictured
Dawn Petrie, from the Belfast coastguard operations centre, said: “He’d been in the water for some 30 hours when the helicopter was delighted to spot him.
“He was extremely lucky.
“He was wearing the right equipment, had a very thick neoprene wetsuit on and did the right thing by staying with his surfboard.
“That must have helped him to survive for so long.”
She said Mr Bryce was conscious when he was taken to hospital.
Police thanked everyone who had been involved in the search.
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