Lachlan Armstrong with his sister, Dana Afrin and mother, Amanda Darling.
Fisherman thanks rescuers for search efforts
12 April 2016
The fisherman who survived a fatal fishing boat sinking has praised rescuers.
The four crew of the MFV Louisa abandoned the vessel when she floundered off Mingulay in the southern Minch in early hours of Saturday.
Two bodies were later found including one man who tried to swim to shore.
The skipper of the boat is still missing. Further searches for him are being organised.
Lachlan Armstrong left the makeshift floatation device they fashioned when the vessel's liferaft failed to inflate, hoping his pals would have a better chance with the extra buoyancy gained without his weight.
He managed to swim over quarter of a mile to rocks and was found safe several hours later.
The 27-
Mr Armstrong said: “I would like to express my deepest sympathies and condolences to all the families. They are the people, I really, really feel for.”
He added: “My greatest gratitude and thanks go out to all the crews of the lifeboat and the helicopters involved in the search. I have got my life thanks to them.”
He praised the “guys out there searching” for his missing pal.
“I would also like to thank the hospital staff and everyone for helping in my recovery.
Mr Armstrong added: "It's hard to explain exactly how I feel -
“I really, really feel for the families.”
“It is heartbreaking. It will never leave me, it's just so tragic. I can't put into words how devastating and upsetting it is."
