Pollution fears in Loch Ness after thieves sink 1930s yacht

By Lauren Beavis

There are fears of pollution in Loch Ness after a 1930s river yacht was sunk by thieves who broke in to steal its bell.

The motor yacht MY Anneke sank in Loch Dochfour, a freshwater loch in the Scottish Highlands southwest of Inverness near Loch Ness.

It had been broken into at some point between May 3 and 5.

Its polished brass bell imprinted with the yacht's name was stolen, along with some other items.

Police Scotland, who have appealed for witnesses, said the "shipbreaking" incident caused the boat to sink — with photos showing the iridescent sheen of its oil fuel leaking into the River Ness.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) was informed and put containment in the water to try and combat the pollution.

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However, locals say there still appears to be some oil escaping into the loch, which is "concerning" for wildlife.

George Finlayson, a local who captured the images, said: "I had heard that a dog walker had noted the river smelling of fuel and that a boat had been targeted by vandals, so I took my drone over to have a look for what I could see.

"It was a day or two after the initial comments by the dog walker that I went for a look.

"SEPA are aware and have put in containment; however, it looks like there’s still some oil escaping or some residual oil still on the loch."

A spokesperson for SEPA said: "Due to the amount and movement of the water, this should not cause significant impacts to the receiving water environment."

Ness District Salmon Fishery Board described the incident as a "close escape."

A spokesperson added: "It could have been a lot worse, given the proximity to the river and that this is the time of the year when salmon smolts pass downstream on their migration to the sea."