Swimmer dies in Durness beach tragedy
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A 65-year-old man has died in a swimming tragedy at a Sutherland beauty spot - despite the desperate efforts of two local surfers to save him.
The alarm was raised at Sango Sands at Durness at around 3.50pm yesterday.
Two swimmers, believed to be visitors to the area, got into into difficulties.
Two surfers who had just finished riding the waves saw the pair washed up on the beach.
"One was in a particularly bad way and I gave him CPR," said one the surfers, who did not wish to be named.
"He was unconscious. They had been swimming and we had just finished surfing. We were just going home but we could see there was a problem. We called for help.
"The sea was nasty - it wasn't great conditions. But its just so tragic what has happened. We did everything we could."
HM Coastguard said it was asked to assist an unconscious man.
"A senior coastguard operations officer was sent to the scene, along with coastguard rescue teams from Durness, Mellness and Kinlochberrie, and a Coastguard helicopter. The man was given CPR on the scene," said a spokesman.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said:"Officers received reports of concern for a person at Sango Sands in Durness around 3.45pm on Wednesday.
"A 65-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene.
"There are no suspicious circumstances and a report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.”
