Alarm at mortuary in Inverness as body shows 'signs of life'

The man had fallen into the sea from the Kessock Bridge

Undertakers in Inverness saw "potential signs of life" in a man who was taken to a mortuary (Getty Images)

Medical bosses have launched a probe after mortuary staff saw "potential signs of life" in a man who was taken there after falling from a bridge.

The man had fallen into the sea from the Kessock Bridge at Inverness at around 8.20pm on Friday.

A lifeboat crew pulled him from the water and brought him ashore where, after a resuscitation attempt, the ambulance crew pronounced him dead.

An undertaker took the body to Raigmore Hospital. There, during routine checks, staff became concerned that the man was showing "potential signs of life". He was later pronounced dead.

The incident is being investigated by NHS Highland and the procurator fiscal, Scotland’s prosecution service.

The Scottish Ambulance Service said it was reviewing the case.

A spokesman said: "Following retrieval, having been in the water for some time, the ambulance crew made every effort to resuscitate the patient.

"However despite active resuscitation being carried out by the crew with no response, a clinical assessment was undertaken including ongoing cardiac monitoring and confirmed that the patient had died.

"Subsequently, following a 999 call to the mortuary at Raigmore Hospital an ambulance responded, along with a cardiac arrest team from the hospital. The patient was subsequently confirmed life extinct."

NHS Highland said: "The death is subject to an investigation by the procurator fiscal as is standard practice in a sudden death.

"We are also holding our own internal significant event review as is normal practice in these circumstances.

"Until that is carried out we are unable to comment further."