Body of woman, 85, found in car in sea near Seil

The body of an 85-year-old woman has been found in a car in waters off the Isle of Seil. Picture: Ian Rutherford

Police were called out in the early morning, following reports that a car had been seen in the water just off the Argyll island, which lies south of Oban.

Police, fire and coastguards attended, along with specialist police divers and a police spokesman said last night: “Around 7.20am this morning police were called to a report of a car in the water near the Cuan ferry slip on Isle of Seil.

“The body of an 85-year-old woman was found inside the car. A post-mortem examination will take place in due course to establish the cause of death, however there would not appear to be any suspicious circumstances.

“The 85-year-old woman had been reported missing earlier that day. A full report will be sent to the

Procurator Fiscal.”

The incident brought the isle of Luing to a standstill as the small community’s only ferry, which runs to and from the Cuan slipway on Seil, was cancelled for most of the day. Luing Primary School was closed because staff couldn’t get to the island by ferry.

A road block stopped members of the public from going near the ferry slipway while the emergency service

workers were there.

Alastair Fleming, Treasurer of the Isle of Luing Community Trust, said: “We are deeply shocked by this. We don’t know yet whether the lady concerned is local or not, but the community’s thoughts are with her relatives, whoever they are.”

Mr Fleming added: “We had hoped that when they dug the car out it might not contain anybody, that it might be just be a car that had been dumped and come up with the tide.

“We just hope that whoever the woman’s relatives are that they are going to be looked after because they are

going to be in need of support.”

He said the small island, which has a population of around 200 people, had been going about its business as best it could, with no access to the mainland.

He added: “We have deliberately not tried to find out too much, we are waiting to be told. The main thing is that

people on the island have been like they usually are. When they are cut off, they just get on with life as best they can in the circumstances.”

Police have not released the name of the woman and were still to confirm if the car had been successfully brought out of the water.

Luing is one of a group of islands known as the Slate Islands and lies about 16 miles south of Oban. Most of its

population live in the main centre of Cullipool.