A two-year-old and a three-year-old have died after the car they were travelling in crashed into a loch in western Scotland.
A 36-year-old woman was taken to hospital after the incident near the town of Oban but was released after treatment.
Emergency services, including a coastguard helicopter, were called at around 4pm to Loch nan Druimnean off the A816 in the Argyle and Bute area. The bodies of the two children were later recovered from the water in an operation involving dive teams.
An eyewitness who passed by the scene said that the incident happened close to a sharp bend in the road, on which she had seen tyre and mud marks.
“I was passing through at around 4.30pm [on Wednesday] and there was a woman in tears at the side of the road,” Samantha Leiper told STV News. “There were at least 20 cars in front of me at a standstill and the woman at the side of the road was crowded by people trying to comfort her.”
Insp Darren Faulds, of Police Scotland, said: “Two young children have lost their lives and our thoughts and condolences go out to the family of those involved in this tragic incident.”
The force said in a statement: “Around 4pm police and emergency services responded to a report of a car going into a loch, north of Kilmelford on the A816 near Oban.”
“Emergency services attended and a 36-year-old woman was taken to Oban hospital as a precaution and released after treatment. The bodies of two children, aged two and three, were recovered from the water. Relatives are aware. Work is still ongoing to recover the vehicle from the water.”
