Two children have died after the car they were travelling crashed into a loch near Oban.
Police Scotland confirmed the deaths of the youngsters, aged two and three, this evening.
A 36-year-old woman had been taken to Oban hospital as a precaution, but was later released.
Inspector Darren Faulds said: “Two young children have lost their lives and our thoughts and condolences go out to the family of those involved in this tragic incident.
“Enquiries are continuing to establish the circumstances and anyone with information is asked to contact the Divisional Road Policing Unit at Lochgilphead on 101.”
Rescuers had spent this evening searching for survivors after a vehicle with two adults and two children left the A816 road near Oban and plunged into the water of a small inland fishing loch.
Emergency services including police, fire, coastguard, rescue helicopter and ambulance were at the loch one mile north of Kilmelford on the A816 Oban to Lochgilphead road.
It is understood the car veered off the road and into the small freshwater loch around 4pm.
A fire service vehicle towing a Rigid Inflatable Boat at top speed with sirens blaring could be seen racing towards the scene, with a helicopter hovering above.
At the time of the accident, Iain MacKinnon, station officer at Oban Coastguard, said: “A car is in the water in the small fishing loch on the Oban side of Kilmelford. It appears to have left the road. Two rescue helicopters, the fire service, coastguard, ambulance and a medical team are here.
“They are trying to get down to the car. The car is deep. There were people in the car. They are trying to get divers down to establish if they are still there.
“The coastguard team is doing a search of the loch and shore line in case anyone has got out.”
Police closed the road at Scammadale, five miles north of the loch. Only local traffic was being allowed through.
