Brother and sister aged 2 and 3 killed after car plunges from Oban road into loch while their mum survived
Seth McCorrisken, two, and his older sister Leia, three, died when the car careered into Scottish lake
TWO toddlers who died when their mum's car ploughed off a road into a Scottish loch have been named.
The bodies of Seth McCorrisken, two, and his older sister Leia, three, were pulled from the vehicle after it careered into Loch nan Druimnean near Oban, Argyll and Bute, yesterday afternoon.
Police confirmed their family had been informed.
The children's 36-year-old mother was taken to Oban hospital following the crash but was released soon after.
The lifeless bodies of her tragic children were recovered from the water hours later. It is unknown if they drowned or died before entering the water.
Inspector Darren Faulds said: "Two young children have lost their lives and our thoughts and condolences go out to the family of those involved in this tragic incident."
One witness described seeing a hysterical woman standing next to a baby's blanket who was in "severe shock" and "crying and shaking severely".
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She added that there were tyre marks on the road next to the loch.
While another, who did not wish to be named, said: "I saw a guy being ushered along the road by two members of the public, he had bare feet and was in his boxer shorts and he looked soaked, like he had been in the water, I don't know what he was doing."
Coastguard teams, firefighters, police and two helicopters were involved in the search operation after the incident. The car was finally pulled from the water at around 5am on Thursday morning.
The A816 Oban to Lochgilphead road was closed while the rescue operation was underway but has now been re-opened.
Oban coastguard station officer Iain MacKinnon said: "The vehicle was completely submerged in the water - we couldn’t see it at all.
“We reckon the car had about 15ft of water above it so the water at that point of the fresh water loch was about 40ft deep.
“Presumably the mother was swimming, trying to get to the shore, when the guy went to help her.
"The water was bitterly cold, probably 5 or 6 degrees - that loch, it freezes over in the winter but the temperature is pretty much the same now as in the winter.
"They kept trying for one and a half hours to get to the car and kept changing teams because of the cold.”
Argyll MSP Michael Russell led tributes to the tragic siblings.
He said: “The local community and indeed the whole of Argyll is shocked and stunned such an appalling tragedy.
“All our hearts go out to the family whose suffering at this moment is unimaginable."
Stuart Cannon, Treasurer of Kilmelford and Kilninver Community Council, added: “On behalf of the whole community, we are deeply saddened by this really tragic incident and our hearts and thoughts go to the lady in question and to her family.
"We are deeply sorry that such a tragic accident could occur and if the community can do anything to help we would obviously like to do that.”
Inquiries are ongoing and anyone with information is urged to contact the Divisional Road Policing Unit at Lochgilphead on 101.
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