29 May, 1999
OBAN COASTGUARD ALERTED TO FATALITY AND TWO MISSING PEOPLE FROM OVERTURNED LOCH AWE ANGLING BOAT
Oban Coastguard are presently co-ordinating the search for two missing people who were thrown into the water from their boat after fierce seas swamped and overturned the vessel.
The boat with 6 people, all male, on board was out on a fishing trip in Loch Awe, an inland Loch south of Oban, and just before 2.00 p.m. this afternoon an emergency call alerted the Coastguard to the accident and the two missing occupants. Three of the occupants have been brought ashore injured and a further person has died.
A rescue helicopter from Lossiemouth R 137 was scrambled to the scene and Coastguard Rescue Teams from Oban; Inverary and Loch Goil were called out to begin a shoreline search for the two missing people. Members of the public are also assisting in the search. Coastguard Sector Manager Kenny Devine is co-ordinating the shoreline search from the Ardenasaig hotel on the Loch side. Strathclyde Police and Ambulance Service are also on scene.
Bob Bruce, Watch Manager at Oban Coastguard said:
" The area in which the boat overturned is about half a mile to a mile wide and the force 4 to 5 winds from the north east was funnelled through the area which whipped the sea up and swamped the 25 foot open angling boat. None of the people on boar were wearing lifejackets.
" There are various rescue boats located around the Loch which have now joined the search."
