Grampian Police reported to Aberdeen Coastguard that three youths were shouting for help after leaving Cove Harbour, 2 miles south of Aberdeen, in a rowing boat.
Aberdeen and Portlethen
Coastguard Rescue Teams were sent to the area, and
Aberdeen Inshore and all weather RNLI lifeboats were requested to launch. One
of the youths on the boat had made it to shore and had raised the alarm. The
other two were stranded on rocks, having left the boat drifting, and were
taken back to Aberdeen by lifeboat.
All youths were wet but un-harmed. Investigations found that the youths had
taken the boat without the owners consent, and it was equipped with nothing
more than oars. The Incident was closed by 1:00 a.m. this morning.
"This was potentially a very serious incident. No safety measures at
all were taken at all. It was a dark, cold, sea last night with a water
temperature of 10 degree Celsius which could have been lethal if any of
the youths had fallen in. They also had very little sea going experience"
says David Robertson of Aberdeen Coastguard.