Sailors electrocuted at Harris bay

Two people were transported to the Western Isles Hospital in Stornoway on Sunday afternoon after being electrocuted when moving their yacht underneath a live power line in Harris.

The electricity is believed to have passed through the vessel as it manoevered in the bay at Ardhasaig.

Coastguard shore teams from Tarbert and Scalpay assisted paramedics in getting the casualties from the yacht into an ambulance.

It has been reported that the two casualties involved are stable in hospital.

Engineers from Scottish Hydro Electric (SSE) turned off power to the line for one hour in order to extricate the mast and make the area safe.

A statement from SSE described how the boat was being moved with its mast fully erect when it struck the power line.

They went on to point out that industry regulations state that the minimum height of power lines should be 5.8 metres across roads and paths and the line that was struck was 7.3 metres from the ground.