The key facts
- The trawler Kilda disappeared off the northern coast of Lewis on 13 October; the body of Douglas Craigie (49) was found the following morning.
- Searches continue for Norman 'Tam' Murray (40) and Murdo Morrison (23).
- The MAIB exclusion zone between the Butt of Lewis and Port of Ness will be lifted from 23:59 on Thursday; a GoFundMe appeal has exceeded £148,000 against a £110,000 target.
Items from the missing vessel found
Police Scotland's diving unit and its partners have recovered items from the sea belonging to the fishing vessel Kilda, which went missing on 13 October off the northern coast of the Isle of Lewis. Police said on Thursday that the items were found in an 'area of interest' off the coast near Port of Ness.
Fate of the crew
On board the Kilda were Norman 'Tam' Murray, 40, and Murdo Morrison, 23, who remain missing. The body of the third crew member, 49-year-old Douglas Craigie, was recovered from the sea by rescuers in the early morning of the day after the vessel disappeared.
Exclusion zone lifted and warnings
The exclusion zone established by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) for divers and vessels in the waters between the Butt of Lewis and Port of Ness will be lifted from 23:59 on Thursday. Police Inspector Neil Taylor, the local Western Isles inspector, described the search operation as 'challenging' and asked that officers be given 'time and space' to carry out the investigation. He urged people not to put themselves at risk and not to undertake their own searches in hazardous areas.
Support for the families
A GoFundMe fundraising appeal for the families of those affected has raised more than £148,000 against an initial target of £110,000.
Image source, Police Scotland Douglas Craigie, Murdo Morrison and Norman Murray had been fishing off the north coast of Lewis
