Two children die and man missing after canoe capsizes in loch tragedy

The youngsters, aged three and five, were rescued by helicopter from the Gair Loch yesterday afternoon after the boat overturned.

They were airlifted to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness in a serious condition, before losing their fight for life last night.

A five-year-old girl who was airlifted to Broadford Hospital in Skye after being plucked from the loch remained seriously ill late last night.

Six people, two men and four children, were on board the canoe when it

capsized.

A 35-year-old man and a ten-year-old girl managed to swim to shore unscathed and alerted Stornoway Coastguard at around 4:15pm. A helicopter and lifeboats from Portree, Gairloch and Loch Ewe launched a search and found the three children.

A 34-year-old man remains unaccounted for, and a search will resume at the scene this morning.

A spokesman for Northern Constabulary said: “Police can confirm that the two boys aged three and five years who were recovered from the water off Gairloch and conveyed to Raigmore Hospital,

Inverness, have since died.

“Search efforts for the missing 34-year-old man have been suspended for the night and are due to recommence at first light.”

Local boats assisted rescue services in the search for a missing man, which continued into the night in the water near the Big Sands caravan park in Gairloch.

Police said the group were in a Canadian canoe, a narrow boat designed to carry numerous passengers. Inquiries into the incident are ongoing. It is thought that some of the group are members of the same

family.

The search for the missing man was called off last night due to lack to light, but was due to resume at first light this morning.

Fishing boats and whale-spotting craft joined in the search, and within minutes of arriving Portree lifeboat had recovered two children from the water.

Another child was rescued from the sea loch by the Coastguard.

Two life jackets, paddles and shoes were recovered by the search craft.

One local man said: “We heard it was a group who took canoes out and got into difficulties. We heard that some of the children were in a pretty bad way.

“It’s terrible – it’s such a beautiful evening. The sun in shining and the water is very calm, so to know there is still someone out there missing is tragic.”

Another man added: “There have been a lot of boats out. At the start it seemed as though they had a search pattern set out with each boat in a set place. They must have known roughly where he fell in the water and knowing the tide can work out roughly where he should be – but after a while some of the smaller boats went back in.”

He also said local people had been scouring hidden beaches in case the man had swum in. “There are a lot of hidden coves along this stretch, which you can access from the sea but that you can’t climb out of.

“Everyone is keeping their fingers crossed.”

Another local woman, who did not wish to be named, added: “I saw the air ambulances overhead and knew that something was wrong as they were flying in the direction of the hospital.

“They are out searching near an area called Big Sands Beach, which is usually a beautiful place. People go swimming and snorkling there and a lot of water sports go on there. It is not considered a dangerous beach.”