A dramatic rescue at sea in the midst of a second ongoing incident has prompted praise from Scotland’s First Minister.
John Swinney commended the crew of the MV Caledonian Isles for their exceptional professionalism during a dual emergency on board the ferry.
On Friday evening, crew members rescued a person from the water as the vessel approached Ardrossan and then responded to a separate security threat during the same sailing.
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Mr Swinney said: "I am immensely grateful to the crew of MV Caledonian Isles and CalMac staff for the professionalism they deployed in this incident.
"I am pleased this has been resolved and I appreciate the patience and co-operation of members of the public, including the passenger who bravely assisted crew during the rescue.
"This is a powerful reminder of the skill, training and dedication of our ferry crews, who work every day to keep passengers safe across our vital west coast network.
"I will see this dedication first hand on Monday, when I visit Gourock to meet CalMac staff and hear more about the work they do to serve island and coastal communities."
We previously reported that Caledonian MacBrayne had showered similar praise on top of the ferry's staff.
The firm's chief executive officer, Duncan Mackison, said: "A life was saved under very difficult circumstances where, in effect, two major incidents were being managed at the same time.
“The crew’s actions were outstanding and reflect the highest standards of professionalism, training and dedication to keeping our passengers safe."
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