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| Tragic canoeist named by police | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A canoeist who died after his kayak capsized off the Argyll coast has been named as Freddie Stewart. | |
| Mr Stewart, 23, of Craignish Castle, Craignish, and a 20-year-old friend were on the Sound of Luing, near Oban, when their canoes overturned. | |
| They were airlifted to hospital suffering from hypothermia. Mr Stewart died a short time later. | |
| His companion was said to be in a "serious but stable" condition in Lorne and Islands District Hospital, Oban. | |
| The alarm was raised on Monday afternoon when the pair were recovered from the water in the Sound of Luing by two passing boats. | The alarm was raised on Monday afternoon when the pair were recovered from the water in the Sound of Luing by two passing boats. |
| It is understood both canoes capsized in choppy conditions as they tried to cross an area known as the Dorus Mor to the island of Garbh Resia. | |
| Freddie was a popular, active lad who was very well known and liked by everyone in the village Colin SmithCommunity council treasurer | |
| The two canoeists held onto one of their upturned kayaks for an hour before they were rescued. | |
| A coastguard helicopter airlifted the men to hospital after being scrambled to help search for the pair. | |
| Mr Stewart was described by locals as being a popular, outgoing boy who was an accomplished guitarist. He had worked for a time as a barman in a local pub. | |
| He had recently returned to his family home, where he lived with parents Ranald and Dawn, younger brother Max and sister Jessica, after studying at university in Glasgow. | |
| Insp Macdonald Stephen of Oban Police said an investigation was under way into the tragedy. | |
| Insp Stephen said: "This appears to have been a tragic accident and our thoughts are with Freddie's family at this time. | |
| "They held onto one of the kayaks for approximately one hour until they were rescued by two passing boats. One of the kayaks has still to be recovered. | |
| "Enquiries are still ongoing into the circumstances surrounding this incident and a full report on the circumstances will be sent to the procurator fiscal." | |
| 'Dreadful news' | |
| Colin Smith, treasurer of Craignish Community Council, said the entire village had been "devastated" by the tragedy. | |
| Mr Smith said: "Craignish is a small, tight knit community so we are all in shock at this dreadful news. | |
| "Freddie was a popular, active lad who was very well known and liked by everyone in the village. We are all simply devastated by his death." | |
| Andy McMillan, Clyde Coastguard watch manager, said: "We are still uncertain as to what went wrong with this trip on the water but it highlights how cold the water is at this time of year, despite the unseasonable warm weather we're enjoying. | Andy McMillan, Clyde Coastguard watch manager, said: "We are still uncertain as to what went wrong with this trip on the water but it highlights how cold the water is at this time of year, despite the unseasonable warm weather we're enjoying. |
| "We had no emergency call from these canoeists, nor any call from a shoreside contact alerting us to the incident. | "We had no emergency call from these canoeists, nor any call from a shoreside contact alerting us to the incident. |
| "Our advice is always to dress in the most appropriate clothing for the time of the year if venturing out on to the water." | "Our advice is always to dress in the most appropriate clothing for the time of the year if venturing out on to the water." |