The search for the missing fishing vessel Kilda has suffered another heartbreaking setback after specialist examinations of two sites off the Isle of Lewis found no trace of the boat or the two men who remain missing.

Police Scotland has confirmed that both locations, east of the Butt of Lewis, have now been thoroughly examined following their identification by the Northern Lighthouse Board vessel NLV Pharos.

Specialist equipment provided by MOWI was used to investigate the sites, working alongside the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB), but nothing connected to the Kilda was discovered.

The maritime exclusion zone established around the search area has now been lifted, although efforts to establish what happened to the vessel are continuing.

The Kilda was last known to have been operating close to the Port of Ness in the north of Lewis on Tuesday 13 October 2026.

Three men were aboard the vessel, and the body of crewman Douglas Craigie was recovered in the surrounding waters at approximately 2.45am the following morning, Wednesday 14 October.

His fellow crewmen, Norman Murray, 40, known as Tam, and Murdo Morrison, 23, remain unaccounted for and are being treated as missing people.

For their families and the wider island community, the absence of answers continues to cast a shadow over a tragedy that has touched many lives.

The MAIB is continuing its preliminary assessment into the loss of the vessel as investigators work to understand the circumstances surrounding its disappearance.

Inspector Neil Taylor said:

“Our thoughts remain with everyone affected by this tragic incident.

“We continue to work with partners, including the MAIB, Maritime and Coastguard Agency and local maritime experts to locate the Kilda and the two missing men.

“We are grateful for the support of all of our partners, including the NLV Pharos and staff from MOWI for their assistance with the search.”

The involvement of specialist maritime organisations has brought additional resources and expertise to the investigation, with the two identified locations examined in the hope of finding evidence that might help explain what happened.

However, neither site has produced any findings relating to the missing fishing vessel.

The families of all three crewmen have continued to ask that their privacy be respected as the search and investigation progress.

Police Scotland has not announced any further locations for examination, and the circumstances surrounding the loss of the Kilda remain unresolved.

Anyone with information that could assist officers is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting reference 3575 of 13 October 2026.

For the families of Tam Murray and Murdo Morrison, the search for answers continues, with the hope that the sea may yet yield the information they so desperately need.