A Pensioner was killed when her car plunged into the sea at a ferry slipway.
Emergency services were called to the scene after the 85-year-old’s silver hatchback was spotted in the water off the Isle of Seil.
It is understood the woman lived locally and had been reported missing from her home several hours before her car was found near the Cuan Ferry slipway.
She will not be named by police until her next of kin have been informed.
The single-track road to the ferry slipway was cordoned off by police, as they waited for a dive team to arrive from Glasgow to recover the car and the woman’s body.
Seamus Anderson, chairman of Seil Community Council, who is also a member of the island’s volunteer fire unit, said last night: “It is very sad to hear that someone has lost their life.
“The road down to the ferry has been closed all day. We didn’t get a call out. I don’t know who the woman was.”
The Cuan Ferry is a small vehicle ferry operated by Argyll and Bute Council which serves the island of Luing from neighbouring Seil, south of Oban.
Seil is connected to the mainland by the famous Bridge Over the Atlantic.
The ferry to Luing was unable to run all day because of the police operation at the slipway, and Luing Primary School remained closed as staff were unable to get there from the mainland.
A police spokeswoman said: “Around 7.20am on Thursday we were called to a report of a car in the water near the Cuan ferry slip.
“The body of an 85-year-old woman was found inside the car.
“A post-mortem examination will take place in due course to establish the cause of death, however there would not appear to be any suspicious circumstances.
“The 85-year-old woman had been reported missing earlier.
“A full report will be sent to the procurator fiscal.”
A spokesman for the ambulance service said: “We received an emergency call at 7.23am reporting that a car was submerged in the water.
“We sent the local Oban crew and mobilised our special operations response team to the incident.
“Our Oban crew stood the special response team down as it was not required.
“Nobody was transported to hospital and the incident was transferred to police.”
Iain MacKinnon, Oban Coastguard manager, said they had been called out by the police.
He added: “The Coastguard attended with police, fire and ambulance.
“The car was a five-door, silver hatchback. It was submerged near the slipway.
“We were back in Oban by 1pm after the police dive team arrived from Glasgow.”
A fire service spokesman said: “We received a call from the ambulance service shortly before 7.25am.
“We sent two appliances from Oban but it was determined that the fire service was not required and our crews returned to their station.”