Elderly man rescued after toy boat flips

GLASGOW, Scotland, May 9 (UPI) -- Coast guard officials said a 74-year-old man was lucky to survive his botched attempt at sailing a Scottish sea loch in a child's blow up boat.

John Stevenson, of Glasgow, prompted serious rescue efforts Wednesday when his small dinghy tuned over in the rough waters of Loch Ryan on the Galloway coast, the Scotsman reported Friday.

"It was obvious he was pretty embarrassed about the whole thing," a rescuer said.

The man was attempting to get to his motor boat, which had floated into the sea. He did reach the boat, but not before being tossed into the sea and receiving a head injury while climbing aboard, the report said.

"It is entirely possible that, if it were not for the informant who saw the man in difficulty on the water that it could have ended in tragedy," Clyde coast guard watch manager Peter Stewart said.