A 22-year-old surfer who went missing off the Scottish coast has been rescued after spending 32 hours at sea.
Matthew Bryce from Glasgow was reported missing after heading out to surf on Sunday morning off the Argyll coast - he was found by rescuers as the sun was setting Monday evening.
From a hospital bed in Belfast, Mr Bryce told a reporter he had lost hope, unaware that a major search operation had been launched.
He says he was watching the sun set ahead of a second night in the water, believing he wouldn’t survive until morning when he heard a helicopter.
WATCH: Scottish surfer survives 32 hours at sea
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
“So I jumped off my board and I picked up the board and started waving it cause when they're looking at such a big area, it's too difficult to see something so small in such a large area,” he said.
“I started waving with the board and they flew over and I thought they'd missed me – but then they turned around. And when they turned around, and when I say them turn, it was just indescribable.”
“I knew I had maybe three hours and I was pretty certain that I was going to die with that sunset," he told the BBC.
His father, John Bryce, said when he received a call from the police he feared the worst.
“But it's a police inspector and all he said: Matthew is found alive.”
Rescuers have said his thick wetsuit likely saved his life after such an extended period exposed to the elements.
