Swimmer rescued overnight during Western Isles challenge By Stuart Findlay July 9 2018, 9:27 am July 9 2018, 9:27 am Share Swimmer rescued overnight during Western Isles challenge Share via Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Messenger Linkedin Email Post link https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/1516186/swimmer-rescued-overnight-during-western-isles-challenge/ Copy Link Colleen Blair, 39, from Perth, Colin Macleod 46, from Stornoway and Norman Todd, 46 were aiming to swim across the Minch. A swimmer undertaking a long distance challenge in the Western Isles was rescued from the sea overnight with assistance from a ferry fast rescue boat. The man and two other swimmers set off from Lewis in the early hours of Sunday morning. The first swimmer reached land but the second gave up his attempt and was taken onto a safety vessel on scene. The third was lost sight of and so the Coastguard was called. The Coastguard requested the Stornoway RNLI Lifeboat to launch and the Coastguard helicopter was scrambled. A Caledonian MacBrayne ferry heard the request for assistance, diverted to the scene and launched its fast rescue boat. The man was located in the water a short while later by the helicopter and was rescued from the water by the fast rescue boat. He was then taken on board the ferry itself and airlifted from the ferry to Stornoway airport, then taken by ambulance to the Western Isles Hospital.
