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Wednesday, December 23, 1998 Published at 00:56 GMT


UK

Relentless search for Iona boat victims

Iona Abbey where John Smith was buried

The search for the bodies of the three men missing off the west coast of Scotland resumes on Wednesday more than a week after their dinghy capsized.

Five young men were in the boat when it was hit by a freak wave. One man survived and swam to safety, another was buried on Tuesday.

The low-key funeral of Robert Hay, 23, was attended by 300 mourners including the sole survivor, Gordon Grant.

The service was held in Iona Abbey, where the former labour leader John Smith was buried four years ago.


The BBC's Caroline Moyes: "Bodies of the three men are still missing"
Alisdair Dougall, 19, Davie Kirkpatrick, 23, and Logie Macfadyen, 24, have been presumed dead for several days but there is still no sign of their bodies.

The men got into trouble at sea as they returned home after a night out at a dance in the village of Bunessan on Mull.

Their dinghy foundered, possibly after being hit by a wave, in the sound between Mull and their home island of Iona.

Mr Grant, the group's designated driver, was the only member of the group who had not been drinking.

Coastguards and local people looking for the bodies of the missing men said they will try to bring them back for their families before Christmas.





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19 Dec 98 | UK
No sign of Iona capsize victims





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