On Friday, 2 October, a diver went missing after entering the sea alone to spearfish in a bay just south of Ardnamurchan Point lighthouse, in West Scotland.
The 65-year-old was reported missing by his wife at about 1pm, when he failed to return home. Air, sea and shore searches were launched by the Coastguard and RNLI.
In worsening weather conditions, the diver could not be found. Towards the end of the day, his speargun and orange float were found washed up in Sanna Bay, on the northern side of Mull.
"The weather that the man started off in was reasonably fine, but it has become pretty horrific, with winds of Force 6 or 7 and deteriorating visibility," said a spokesman for Clyde Coastguard during the searches.
The missing man was described as a “careful” individual with 40 years’ diving experience.
Next day, wind and conditions were too extreme for the Coastguard helicopter to be able to fly or for a lifeboat to search effectively. Shore searches were continued, but called off at 3pm in “horrendous” weather.
On Sunday, 4 October, a diver died after getting into difficulty while diving on a war wreck in Orkney’s Scapa Flow.
An emergency call was put out from the diving charter boat, Triton, after the diver surfaced reportedly unconscious.
He was recovered aboard and given emergency treatment until a lifeboat arrived to speed him ashore, where waiting medical staff had to report that he had died.
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