The Leader of the House, the Rt Hon Sir Alan Campbell MP and colleagues in the Commons joined Torcuil Crichton MP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar today (Thursday October 15)  in expressing deep condolences to families and communities affected by this week’s maritime tragedy off the Isle of Lewis. 

Paying tribute to the three lost crew in the Commons, the islands’ MP said: “Events like this cut deeply into our communities and leave salted wounds of grief. I think of Ness, Barvas, and Carloway and the homes and villages that these crews left from.”

Speaking in gratitude to the members of the search team, he added: “Can I pay thanks to and tribute to the coastguard officers, the RNLI crews, helicopters, and police officers who are still involved in the search for two of these missing men.” 

The Leader of the House responded as a coastal MP who had recently commemorated the anniversary of the loss of the trawler, the Gaul, in the 1970s.

Sir Alan explained: “I know absolutely the importance of loss and how it’s felt to fishing communities and I know how important the work of the RNLI and Coastguard are.’

Recognising the far-reaching impact this incident has had, Mr Crichton added: “That pain of grief will be echoed in other coastal communities across the country. All those who fish will mourn and they that spread their nets on the ocean will languish.”

Concluding his statement, the MP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar paid tribute again to the crew of the ‘Kilda’ and to others who have lost their lives to the sea, expressing his condolences “to the families and communities affected and to all the other families and fishers who touch that razor’s edge of the deep every day and, for our good, go down to the sea in ships.” 

Link to contribution -> https://www.torcuilmp.com/localissues?pgid=mqjlbyzh3-2b57bca3-af20-4cf1-a1c3-3841361bcd41  

Link to our earlier report here