Emergency crews rushed to Portobello beach amid reports of a person being blown out to sea in what later emerged as a false alarm.
Coastguard teams dispatched four land vehicles alongside water-going support and scrambled the rescue helicopter after concerned calls about a rogue inflatable in the Firth of Forth.
Locals flocked to the beach on one of the hottest days of the summer so far to soak up the sun before the call was made at around 3pm.
Ambulance and police supported the coastguard in their efforts to locate the person thought to be in difficulty, though it was later recorded as a “false call with good intent.”
RNLI lifeboat crews from Kinghorn also joined coastguard teams from Fraserburgh, North Berwick and South Queensferry for the duration of the search, which was called off shortly before 5pm.
A Maritime and Coastguard Agency spokesperson said: "At approx. 3pm today (14 July), HM Coastguard received a 999 call from a member of the public concerned about an inflatable blown out to sea, with people possibly in the water.
"Coastguard rescue teams from Fraserburgh, North Berwick and South Queensferry alongside the RNLI lifeboats from Kinghorn and the search and rescue helicopter from Prestwick were sent as well as the Scottish Ambulance Service, to carry out an extensive search of the area.”
