Two women, aged 24 and 26, died in a diving incident in Loch Fyne in the Argyll and Bute area on the west coast of Scotland. At 3:30 pm on Sunday, 26 July, Police Scotland received a report of "two female divers missing" near the village of St Catherine's on the west shore of Loch Fyne. Police said the 26-year-old woman was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency responders. A search then began for the 24-year-old woman, whose body was later recovered from the water.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "Around 3:30 pm on Sunday, 26 July 2026, we received a report of two female divers missing in Loch Fyne at St Catherine's, Cairndow. Emergency responders attended and a 26-year-old woman was pronounced dead at the scene. A further search was carried out in the water and the body of another woman, aged 24, was found. The cause of death is currently unknown and a post-mortem examination will take place in due course."
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Loch Fyne stretches 40 miles (65 km) from the Sound of Bute and is the longest sea loch in Scotland. The dive site at St Catherine's, known to divers as "Seal Reef", is a popular shore dive widely used for dive training. Keith Waugh of Clydebank Sub-Aqua Club was shocked by the incident and described the site as usually "very safe". "We use that area as a training ground," he told the BBC. "We normally explore the reef, see what fish are there, and then zig-zag our way to the surface. The reef is very close to the surface, so it is an ideal training experience." Mr Waugh added that the women who died were not members of Clydebank Sub-Aqua Club.
The search and recovery operation was supported by a UK Coastguard helicopter and rescue teams from Crinan, Dunoon, Kames and Inveraray. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service sent two fire engines and water rescue resources to assist, and Royal National Lifeboat Institution lifeboats from Tighnabruaich, Campbeltown and Largs were also dispatched to the scene. Firefighters remained at the scene until shortly before 7:30 pm. "Operations Control sent two fire engines and water rescue resources to assist with a multi-agency search and rescue operation," a Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said. "A woman was sadly pronounced dead at the scene. A further search was carried out in the water and the body of another woman was found. Our thoughts are very much with their family, friends and the wider community at this difficult time."
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