Two people may have lain severely injured in a car that crashed off a busy motorway for three days – despite the incident being reported to police on the day it happened.
Police Scotland has revealed that a man was found dead this morning and his female passenger seriously hurt in a Renault Clio which had left the M9 near Stirling.
The force said an incident had been reported to them on Sunday morning of a car being off the road, but had not been followed up.
Earlier today, another call prompted officers to attend the scene, where they discovered the body of John Yuill, 28, and his injured partner, Lamara Bell.
The 25-year-old has been taken to the Southern General hospital in Glasgow, where she is in a critical condition.
An investigation is underway as to why Sunday’s call was not followed up “at the time”.
Police Scotland had been searching for the couple since Sunday, releasing numerous missing person alerts to the public and media as it appealed for information about their whereabouts.
Officers said John Yuill and Lamara Bell had last been seen in the company of friends on the south shore of Loch Earn area of Stirlingshire in the early hours of that day.
They said the couple had not been in contact with friends and family, which was “completely out of character”.
Tonight, Assistant Chief Constable Kate Thomson, Local Policing East, said it had “come to light” that a call had been made to police late on Sunday morning to report a car was “off the road”.
She said an investigation was underway as to why that report was not followed up at the time.
“Police Scotland were called to the M9 southbound near junction 9 at around 9.50am this morning following a report of a one car road traffic collision involving a Renault Clio which had left the road,” she said yesterday.
“Officers attended and the male driver of the car was sadly pronounced dead at the scene. The female passenger was conveyed to the Southern General, Glasgow, where she is in a critical condition.
“We believe that this is connected to the on-going missing persons search for John Yuill and Lamara Bell.
“As part of our investigation into this incident, it has come to light that a call was made to police late on Sunday morning regarding a car which was reported as being off the road.
“For reasons currently being investigated, that report was not followed up at the time. Following a call this morning, officers attended the scene.
“Officers have notified the families of this update. Our thoughts are with both families at this difficult time.
“A full investigation is currently underway to establish the full circumstances of the incident.”