Three men die as boat capsizes off Scotland

Three fishermen died when their boat overturned yesterday off Ardnamurchan on the west coast of Scotland. One member of the crew survived and was recovering in hospital.

A major search operation was launched when a member of the public saw the boat overturn off Ardnamurchan at around 5.10pm and raised the alarm.

The lifeboat also picked up another man who died, while the other two were recovered by helicopter.

The boat overturned in the vicinity of Bo Fascadale, around a mile and a half north of Kilmory, Ardnamurchan on the west coast of Scotland.

The caller who spotted the incident said the vessel's upturned hull was visible among a sea of white waves towards the west of the island of Eigg.

Two sailors were recovered by the Mallaig RNLI lifeboat and taken to hospital where one was pronounced dead on arrival.

Another man was recovered by a Royal Navy helicopter while one was picked up by the Stornoway Coastguard helicopter.

Both were airlifted to Broadford Hospital on the Isle of Skye but were pronounced dead on arrival.

All four had been recovered by 8.20pm.

Stornoway Coastguard co-ordinated the search which also involved a lifeboat from Tobermory on Mull and the Kilchoan Coastguard Rescue Team.

Northern Constabulary said that there will be an investigation into the the circumstances surrounding the incident and the deaths will be reported to the Procurator Fiscal.

Police said that details of the dead sailors will not be issued until the next of kin have been informed and formal identification has taken place.