The Ardrossan Coastguard Rescue Team was called out shortly before 0500 hours this morning following a report from Police Scotland of a possible person within a coastal cave near the Heads of Ayr.
The team responded immediately with Ayr Coastguard Rescue Team, Girvan Coastguard Rescue Team and RNLI Troon Lifeboat also being tasked to the incident.
The team responded immediately and proceeded to the scene with full rope rescue equipment should it be required to assist with access and extraction from the location.
Arriving on scene, the team liaised with colleagues on scene and partner agencies with an initial search plan being devised.
Two Coastguard Rescue Officers were deployed to the shoreline to assess access to the coastal cave in question from the beach, with Troon Lifeboat launching their small XP boat to assist with access.
The casualty was quickly and successfully located safe and well within the cave having setup a small campsite overnight and was recovered to the shoreline by the RNLI crew.
The casualty has thereafter been assisted back to the rendezvous point at a nearby caravan park and left in the care of the Police and family members who were on scene.
With all persons safe and well and no further assistance required, all search and rescue resources were stood down to return to their respective stations.
The team has then returned to station to repack equipment and complete the necessary paperwork before booking off duty and heading home shortly after 0730 hours.
Fortunately in this instance all persons were safe and well with the alarm being raised by concerned family members after being unable to make contact due to poor mobile reception.
If heading to the coast to explore we would always advise to go in a group, make sure you have a means of calling for help and to make sure people know where you are going and when you are expected to return.
Search and Rescue - it's what we do.
In a coastal, beach or cliff emergency dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard.