Two dead after diving trip horror

TWO shellfish divers died yesterday after getting into difficulty off the Outer Hebrides.

A ferry skipper raised the alarm with Stornoway Coastguard when he noticed a small unmanned boat off Castlebay, Barra, around 11.20am.

The Coastguard helicopter and rescue teams were sent to the scene and the divers were found by Barra lifeboat crew around 1pm.

Although the two men were recovered from the water, both of them died at the scene.

Police Scotland said inquiries were at an early stage to establish the full circumstances of the deaths.

A Maritime and Coastguard Agency spokesman said the local ferry boat skipper had noticed two divers enter the water but later realised they had not resurfaced, leaving their small boat unmanned.

The family of one of the men has been informed and officers last night were in the process of informing the next of kin of the other man.