Two Angus lifeboats were launched following reports of a young woman in the water off Arbroath.
Police Scotland were notified of concerns for a female in the early hours of Saturday morning.
HM Coastguard tasked the inshore and all-weather RNLI boats to assist in a search at 1.45am, but they were stood down shortly after.
Inspector Gordon Nicholl said: “There was a suggestion she may have been in the water but she was traced at West Links.”
A Coastguard spokesman said: “We were asked to attend following reports of a person in the water at Arbroath cliffs, but she was recovered by Police Scotland as they went out.”
