By Harry McLaggan

A LARGE-SCALE search was continuing last night for two missing fishermen feared drowned off the coast of the north-west coast of Scotland.

The Banff-registered vessel Brothers left Gairloch harbour in the early hours of Thursday and was last seen by another vessel in the vicinity a short time later.

A massive search was launched to try to find the vessel and the two men on board, who have been named as skipper Neil Sutherland (39), Park Street, and crewman David Davidson (40), of Sunfield, Kinloss Road, both Burghead.

The 10-metre prawn fishing boat left Gairloch in Wester Ross at about 2.30am and was due to return that night. It failed to return, however, and worried relatives contacted the emergency services.

An air and sea search was launched featuring an RAF Nimrod search aircraft and a coastguard search and rescue helicopter. Lifeboats from Portree, Lochinver and Stornoway and nine local fishing vessels also took part.

The search went on throughout yesterday but as yet there is no sign of the vessel or the missing men.

Pieces of wood were found in The Minch, however, and an oil slick was detected off the coast of the Isle of Skye.

The RAF added that there was nothing to connect the wreckage to the incident so far.

Hopes of finding the missing men alive are now fading. Next of kin have been informed.