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Hundreds of mourners have paid their respects to a fisherman who died in a tragic fishing boat sinking in the Western Isles.

 

Chris Morrison from South Harris was buried in Borve Cemetery after a service in the nearby Scarista Church of Scotland.

 

The 27-year-old father of two young daughters perished after the MFV Louisa sank while lying at anchor on April 9.

 

 

Three men were lost in what is the worst fishing disaster in the Western Isles for half a century.

 

For some unknown reason, the vessel’s liferaft did not inflate and the crew were all in the chilly water, drifting out to sea on the cold, dark night.

 

Martin Johnstone, 29, from Caithness, died while trying to swim to shore when the Louisa went down about quarter of a mile off Mingulay, some 12 miles south of Barra.

 

Lachlan Armstrong, 27, also from Stornoway, made it to rocks after freeing up space on a makeshift semi-submerged floatation rubber sheet they were hanging on to.

 

The vessel’s skipper, Paul Alliston, of Stornoway, who stayed with the drifting rubber sheet is still missing.

 

Chris Morrison from Leverburgh in South Harris was buried with a traditional Hebridean funeral on Saturday afternoon.

 

Co-Chomunn na Hearadh (Harris Community Shop) - the only shop and petrol station in the area shut during the funeral. A note said: “As a mark of respect to Chris, his family, and the rest of the crew involved in the Louisa tragedy we will be closing the shop between 2pm and 3pm.”

 

Rev David Donaldson who conducted the service at Scarista said the tragedy filled the South Harris community with “sadness.”

 

Speaking in advance of the funeral, Mr Donaldson said: “There is such a sadness around.

 

“People are reluctant to speak a lot. Everyone is getting on with what they normally do but there is this kind of sadness weighing on everyone, myself included.”

 

He added: “It’s a marvellous community in the Western Isles - great base of Christian people.

 

“They are very strong people, very strong faith, tremendous sense of togetherness and of prayer. I know that people from all over the Western Isles have been praying for everyone involved and that is a marvellous thing.”

 

Mr Donaldson added: “It is very close-knit community and it has affected absolutely everybody.

 

“It is marvellous the way people have rallied round and supported all the families.

 

“Its absolutely typical of people in the Western Isles that they look after one another. They’re a great community of people and that is symbolic of what has happened this week.”

 

Meanwhile, the moderator of the Church of Scotland has spoken about the fatal accident.

 

The Rt Rev Dr Angus Morrison, who is related to Chris Morrison, said: "It was with a sense of shock and sadness that I learned of the sinking of the Louisa off Mingulay, with tragic loss of life.

 

"Since then, my thoughts and prayers, as those of us all in the Church of Scotland, have been with the families of those who lost their lives, and with Lachlan the sole survivor

 

" For me the sadness of this event has a very personal element, as one of the crew lost, Chris Morrison, was a relative. Chris will be laid to rest in his native Harris today."

 

Chris Morrison is the grandson of the moderator's cousin.

 

Rt Reverend Morrison added: "Island communities are no strangers to tragedies at sea. One of the great strengths of these communities, however, is the way in which they come together to support one another, especially at difficult times such as this. I know that in every community of the Western Isles people will be grieving with and praying for the bereaved families.

 

"In their own local communities they will be the recipients of much kindness. Such solidarity will help mitigate the pain and grief. May the God of all comfort grant to the grieving families and communities his grace and peace."

 

 

 

 

 

 

Funeral held for fisherman who died in Louisa sinking

 

15 April 2016