Body recovered in aircraft search

The search resumed on Saturday morning

Rescue teams searching for an aircraft which went missing on a flight from Stornoway to Inverness have recovered the pilot's body from the crash site.

Timothy Cook, 35, was the only person on board the twin engine turbo-prop Cessna F406.

Debris from the crash was initially discovered at Meall Feith na Slataich and the body found a short time later.

The Highland Airways aircraft disappeared in the Ullapool area of Wester Ross on Friday morning.

A spokesman for the Royal Air Force's rescue co-ordination centre at RAF Kinloss said the aircraft "appears to have hit a hillside" and described the crash as "particularly poignant".

Mountain rescue teams searching in the area have found the wreckage of the Cessna and recovered the pilot's body Michael Mulford RAF spokesman

Michael Mulford said: "Mountain rescue teams searching in the area have found the wreckage of the Cessna.

"Sadly, they have recovered the pilot's body."

Mr Mulford said the pilot had been descending from 9,500ft at about 1130 BST on Friday and was due to land in Inverness.

However, the wreckage was located on Saturday at 1430 BST about 37 miles north west of the pilot's intended destination.

'Poignant occasion'

Mr Mulford described the pilot as "a very experienced professional" who was soon to start a new job with a major airline.

He said: "All of that really adds to the poignancy of the occasion.

"Now it will be for the investigators to try to pull together the facts to see if they can find out what happened in this very sad case."

Northern Constabulary said that a 40-strong team was involved in the search.

The Stornoway Coastguard helicopter and one from RAF Lossiemouth were scrambled by rescue co-ordinators.

Mountain rescue teams from Kinloss and Dundonnell were also alerted, along with two search and rescue dogs.

The rescue operation covered an area stretching from Loch Broom to the Kyles of Sutherland in the north and to the Moray Firth in the east.

Air accident investigators are expected to arrive in Inverness on Sunday to begin their inquiry.

The Cessna had taken off from Stornoway at 1116 BST after delivering newspapers to the Western Isles.