Aberdeen and Portlethen rescue teams were paged at 0024 hrs to a report of a fisherman falling into the water off Portlethen Village.

Members from the Portlethen paged team were at the scene within 10 minutes of the alarm being raised and spotted the casualty floating in the water. The team were informed the casualty was wearing a flotation suit and headlamp.

The team then lost sight of the casualty when his headlamp went out. Members of the Aberdeen paged team arrived on scene and setup the searchlight and fired para illuminating rockets in an effort to locate the casualty.

On seeing this the casualty managed to reactivate his headlamp and both teams relocated the casualty. The Aberdeen lifeboat which was half a mile to the north was the directed towards the casualty. Another flare was fired which landed very close to the casualty and the lifeboat was able to speed to this location.

The casualty was recovered from the water after approximately 1 1/4 hours and taken to Aberdeen Harbour to be transported to hospital by ambulance under police escort.

Members of the coastguard rescue team said "If it had not been for the casualty wearing appropriate equipment and reactivating his headlamp the outcome may have been very different."

Last reports were the casualty who was 54 years of age was doing well.

The casualty was released from hospital 19/02/06 - Added 20/02/06

MCA Press release , BBC News report