Loch deaths to be remembered
Families of four men who drowned in Loch Awe are to be invited back to a commemoration event marking 10 years since the tragedy.
A fatal accident inquiry that ended in 2011 found the men had been drinking, were poorly equipped and did not take safety precautions.
William Carty, 47, his brother Steven, 42, Thomas Douglas, 36, and Craig Currie, 30, fell from a small boat in the early hours of March 21 in 2009. Their boat is believed to have capsized in heavy fog as they returned from a pub on the other side of the loch.
In response to the deaths, LochWatch Loch Awe was set up to save lives: a network of loch spotters living, working and driving around it who are ready to help in an emergency by raising the alarm, giving aid and giving an accurate location to rescuers. They also have a small patrol boat fitted with radar and sonar equipment. The loch is 26 miles long.
Iain MacKinnon, who is also a coastguard member, is its chairman. He said: ‘I’ve been a coastguard for more than 20 years and in that time I’ve attended 25 fatalities on the loch. I’m touching wood but since LochWatch started, we’ve not had any.
‘Awareness and getting a safety message out to people is also a big part of our work. Water is cold and it can kill. Alcohol and water do not mix. Life-jackets are needed at all times.
‘Loch Awe is a beautiful spot, it’s been on TV a lot and it attracts lots of people but it can be dangerous.’
He added: ‘Next March will be the 10th anniversary of the four men’s deaths. We will be inviting their families to come to commemorate them. It will be a low-key event, we don’t want to sensationalise what happened but it’s important that it’s remembered.’
LochWatch has a fund to keep up its work, helped by donations from the four men’s families. Funds are also used to help pay for fuel and maintenance of the patrol boat. More volunteers are also needed.
To find out more about LochWatch go to facebook. com/lochwatch