A RECOVERY operation for a tugboat which capsized in the Firth of Clyde, resulting in the deaths of two people, got underway on Sunday.
George Taft, 65, and Ian Catterson, 73, lost their lives when their boat sank off the coast of Greenock last month. The bodies of the two men have already been recovered.
It is believed that the tug was escorting a small cruise ship into harbour when it overturned suddenly, with one eyewitness saying it capsized “pretty instantaneously”.
An exclusion zone of 200 metres and a drone ban were put in place for the salvage operation.
The tugboat, named Biter, was operated by Clyde Marine Services.
An investigation into the incident by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch has already got underway.
A major search and rescue operation was launched when the boat capsized, involving coastguard rescue teams, a rescue helicopter, several police launch boats and an RNLI lifeboat.
Vessels in the area were also involved in the search when the alarm was raised.
