PLANS to bring high-speed broadband to the Western Isles have been delayed after a ship's crew dropped a £3.6 million cable.
The blunder, off North Uist in the Sound of Harris means a rescue operation will have to be mounted to pull the fibre optic cable up from almost 1,300 metres.
The cable reportedly snapped while lowering an eight-tonne "submersible plough" into the water.
Orange Marine, which operates the French cable-laying ship, Rene Descartes, is yet to send out a formal recovery plan, according to BT, the project managers.
A BT spokesman added: "We are waiting for a formal plan from Orange Marine as to what is going to be done to recover it. The master of the Rene Descartes has informed Marine Scotland, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, the Northern Lighthouse Board and Stornoway Coastguard, giving them the location details."
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