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Two people electrocuted after yacht hits live power cables  

 

13 June 2016  

Two people were electrocuted while towing their yacht near live power lines in Harris.

The vessel was on a trailer being taken from a slipway in Loch Bun Abhainneadar.

 

A couple, believed to be husband and wife, were injured during the incident around 2pm on Sunday afternoon.

 

They were taken to the Western Isles Hospital in Stornoway for treatment.

 

Coastguard shore teams from Tarbert and Scalpay assisted paramedics with the casualties and securing the sailing craft.

 

A Stornoway coastguard spokesperson said: "Two people were electrocuted and taken to hospital."

 

A health board spokeswoman said: "NHS Western Isles can report that the patients are stable.”

Hydro engineers made the area safe.

 

A spokesman from Scottish Hydro Electric Power Distribution said: "Our engineers attended Ardhasaig, where the mast of a yacht had struck our overhead line.

 

"The boat was being moved with its mast fully erect, and struck the line."

 

He added: "Industry regulations state that the minimum height of power lines should be 5.8 metres across roads and paths, the line that was struck was 7.3 metres from the ground.

 

"In order for our engineers to extricate the mast from the line, the power was turned off for approximately one hour.”