BOAT PAIR DIVE HUNT.

Byline: By MARK SMITH

DIVERS will today search the wreck of a prawn trawler for the bodies of two missing fishermen.

Neil Sutherland, 39, and David Davidson, 40, were last seen sailing out of Gairloch Harbour in Wester Ross on Thursday.

Their boat, the Brothers, was found on the seabed in 40ft of water on Saturday following a massive search involving three lifeboats, a helicopter and a Nimrod plane. Neil's father Daniel, who owned the vessel, raised the alarm after the boyhood friends failed to return on time.

Their 32ft boat was discovered by Silver Cloud, another fishing vessel which had joined the hunt, off Eilean Trodday, Skye.

A member of the public found a life ring from the Banff-registered vessel nearby.

Stornoway Coastguard said: "A diver verified this was the wreck of the Brothers. There was no sign of anybody still on board although it was a limited search."

Neil had been due to return for his gran's funeral on Friday. His grief-stricken father was at the graveside, haunted by the prospect of another tragedy.

Neil's wife Lorna is being comforted by relatives at their home in Burghead, Moray. The couple had a son, Lewis, four. David lived on the next street with his parents.

CAPTION(S):

FOUND: Boat