A land, air and sea search was underway on Wednesday night after a car, understood to be carrying two adults and two children, crashed into an Argyll loch.

Unconfirmed reports have suggested two people remain in the vehicle, which is under the water.

The A816 Oban to Lochgilphead road was closed north of the village of Kilmelford as emergency vehicles rushed to the scene at Loch Nan Druimean.

Kilmelford resident Lindsay Johnston said: "There were sirens going and then I saw an ambulance, helicopter and police car going up towards Oban, but I don't know what has happened."

Police Scotland sent the force helicopter to collect members of the underwater unit from Gourock before flying north to the scene.

Oban Coastguard Volunteer Team searched the shores of the loch for any survivors who may have escaped from the vehicle, which is understood to have come to rest in deep water.

A Police Scotland spokesman said last night: "At around 4pm police and other emergency services responded to a report of a car going into a loch north of Kilmelford, on the A816 near to Oban.

"Emergency services are still at the scene dealing with the incident."

The accident comes two months after Amy Simpson, 18, from Cowdenbeath, Fife died after the car she was driving plunged into the River Avich as she and a group of friends returned to their holiday accommodation.

The four teenage passengers scrambled out of the car and rushed to a nearby house to raise the alarm, but Amy was declared dead at the scene.