Minister asks for help to raise trawler

A Church of Scotland minister has appealed for help to bring home the bodies of two men whose boat capsized on a sea loch last month.

Reverend John Macgregor revealed he had known the skipper of the Nancy Glen, Duncan Macdougall, for most of his life, describing the fisherman as a “great guy with everything to live for”. Mr Macdougall, a father of two young sons, was aboard the prawn trawler with Przemek Krawczyk when it sank on Loch Fyne in Argyll and Bute on 18 January.

A third crewman, John Miller, survived after being rescued by a passing vessel.

Work is under way to determine whether Nancy Glen can be raised to the surface. It is thought to be sitting at a depth of 459 feet near Barmore Island. A campaign to fund the raising of the boat has collected more than £207,000.

Mr Macgregor, who grew up in Tarbert, said the tragedy had “devastated” the village. He appealed to kirk members to donate what they could to the fund.

The families of the two men, who lived in Tarbert, are desperate for their remains to be brought home.