A surfer has been plucked from the Irish Sea after more than 30 hours adrift off the western coast of Scotland.

Key points: Matthew Bryce was not reported missing for about 24 hours

Matthew Bryce was not reported missing for about 24 hours Surfer remained on his board, lessening his exposure to the cold water

Surfer remained on his board, lessening his exposure to the cold water Rescue described as "needle in the haystack stuff"

Rescue officials are hopeful that Matthew Bryce, who is being treated at Belfast Hospital in Northern Ireland, will make a full recovery despite severe hypothermia.

The 22-year-old was winched into a Coast Guard helicopter shortly before the light faded on Monday.

Coast Guard Operations Specialist Lawrence Cumming said the Scottish surfer is "making progress" after his ordeal.

"He was conscious and breathing but severely hypothermic," Mr Cumming said.

"Lifting a hypothermic person from the water is hazardous, but it was done successfully, and he was then taken to the nearest big hospital, which was in Belfast."

He said Mr Bryce's survival was greatly aided by his use of a thick wetsuit that includes boots and a hood.

The surfer also managed to remain atop his board, lessening his exposure to the cold water.

Mr Bryce said in a statement released by the hospital that he was "so grateful" to the rescue team.

"I cannot thank those enough who rescued and cared for me," he said. "They are all heroes."

His father John Bryce said the experience had been "an absolute rollercoaster" with a happy ending.

"To get that call from the police last night to say that he was alive was unbelievable," he said.

The search was complicated because officials were only notified that Mr Bryce was missing roughly 24 hours after the surfer entered the water, making it more difficult to predict his likely location, Mr Cumming said.

Lifeboats from Scotland and Northern Ireland scoured the waters as the helicopter searched from the air.

"We were moving toward twilight and then darkness," Mr Cumming said.

'It's needle in the haystack stuff'

Sorry, this video has expired Expert Bob Cooper says staying positive key to surviving life threatening ordeals

Survival expert Bob Cooper told the ABC shipping traffic and cold weather conditions, not sharks or other marine life, would have been the biggest threat to Mr Bryce's life.

"People can only last minutes without any sort of protection, which he had his wetsuit on," he said.

"[He was] very fortunate he never gave up. That is the only thing you can do, the only thing you can control in those situations is what you think. He certainly controlled himself."

Mr Bryce apparently suffered stomach cramps and was unable to paddle properly and was swept out to sea, said Steve England, editor-in-chief of Carve magazine, a surfing publication.

"It's not mega-common but it has happened before," Mr England said.

"He was really lucky. There are very strong currents up there. To end up off the coast of Northern Ireland, he was caught in a serious open ocean current.

"It's so good that our rescue services were on it."

He said Bryce seemed to be an experienced surfer with quality equipment.

"Lord knows how they found him," Mr England said.

"It's needle in the haystack stuff."

AP/ABC