Shore search for canoe tragedy man

Aug 28 2012

Rescuers are carrying out a shoreline search for a man presumed drowned after a canoeing tragedy that claimed the lives of his two young sons and a five-year-old girl.

Ewen Beaton, 32, is still missing after the boat overturned in Loch Gairloch, near Ullapool in the Scottish Highlands, on Sunday afternoon.

His sons Jamie, two, and five-year-old Ewen died later that night after being rescued by helicopter from the water and airlifted to hospital.

A third child, Gracie Mackay, five, from Muir of Ord near Inverness, died in the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Glasgow on Monday afternoon. Her 35-year-old father and eight-year-old sister, who were also in the boat, managed to swim 500m to the shore and raise the alarm.

The tragedy has shocked the local community. Muir of Ord councillor Graham MacKenzie said: "I know how terrible the community is feeling. It's a small community, but it's a very active one and very close-knit."

Northern Constabulary said the search for Mr Beaton, from Beauly near Inverness, began again on Tuesday morning. "A shoreline and land search recommenced today," a spokesman said.

His family said they were "utterly devastated" following the accident and the loss of the two young boys. "We appreciate all that has and is being done by emergency services to find their adoring father Ewen," relatives said in a statement.

Stornoway Coastguard was alerted to the incident at about 4.15pm on Sunday after Gracie's father and her sister, named locally as Garry Mackay and Callie, made it to the shoreline.

Peter Godding, sector manager for Stornoway Coastguard, said: "It's amazing really, she swam quite a long way in the sea, which is no mean feat. It's pretty incredible that she did survive."

When asked about the Canadian canoe the group had been in, he said: "They are quite cheap vessels to purchase and unfortunately it's quite difficult to maintain the stability if you stand up in them."