TWELVE red-faced tourists had to be rescued by lifeboat today after they got stranded on an island by the tide then one tried to “wade back to shore”.
It is understood the group, some of them Italian, had been visiting Cramond Island in the Firth of Forth, which is accessed by a tidal causeway.
The Coastguard received a call for help after one of the men in the group tried to walk the kilometre back to shore in water that was nearly thigh deep and rising.
A Coastguard spokesman said: “We received a call at 12.51pm from a female on her mobile phone who said they were stuck on Cramond Island.
“She said there were six people in her party including one child along with six other cyclists.
“We understand one male had tried to wade back to shore but he turned round and waited for the Atlantic 85 vessel that was sent out at 12.57pm.”
The Coastguard say this is not the first time that people have been caught out by not understanding the tides of the causeway and request that if the public are not sure then they should not risk the walk at all.
The spokesman added: “We would recommend to people who are stuck to just call 999 and seek assistance. Do not try and cross the water.
“It is a deceptive tide and you could soon find yourself in real trouble. If you want to know the times you can walk across then just call 01333 450 666 on the day and the office will advice you when is suitable.”
On July 6 Edinburgh man Krzysztof Grzegorz Mlynarski, 30, was sentenced to 145 days in prison after being convicted of making a hoax call to the emergency services.
The incident took place on September 13 last year when Mlynarski called the coastguard claiming he was trapped on Cramond Island with his friends, one of whom he claimed had a broken leg.
The hoax resulted in thousands of pounds being wasted on scrambling a helicopter and lifeboat rescue team.
