AT LEAST two people were airlifted to hospital after a car went into a loch on Harris.
The accident happened on the A859, near a junction leading to Luskentyre on the Isle of Harris, at about 4pm yesterday.
Both casualties, thought to be in their 80s, were taken to Western Isles Hospital in Stornoway, on Lewis. One had a suspected head injury, while the other was believed to have a spinal injury, an ambulance spokeswoman confirmed.
The casualties were among seven people, including at least three children, in the car when it left the road and ended up in the water.
The coastguard spokesman said the other five other people who were among the "walking wounded" were also being flown to Stornoway, but it was not clear if they were being admitted to hospital.
Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service said everyone was out of the fresh water loch, in south Harris, when they arrived. Northern Constabulary said the road was closed for more than two hours.
In November, a speech therapist died after the car she was driving in a storm ended up in a loch on Harris.
Lorna MacDonald, 26, of Stornoway, worked for NHS Western Isles – initially to help children with speech and language difficulties. But she had just undertaken a course to help adults with throat cancer to communicate better.
She died after her car veered off the road and landed in a freshwater loch in gale force winds.
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