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Air ambulance forced into emergency landing in loch

News imageGetty Images The loch is large and mountains rise from the shore line. There is a row of white-walled houses along the edge of the loch and two boats on the water.Getty Images
The helicopter went into the loch on Thursday

An air ambulance was forced into making an emergency landing in a Highland loch, according to accident investigators.

The Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) said the crew made a "safe but unexpected" landing in Loch Torridon due to local weather conditions on Thursday.

It said there was no patient on board and the pilot and ambulance personnel, who were en route to an emergency in Applecross, were safe and well.

The Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) described the EC145 helicopter had "ditched" into the loch.

A doctor was sent to the patient in Applecross and remained with them until an ambulance arrived.

HM Coastguard said it was alerted to the incident at 12:35.

SAS said: "Whilst en route to an emergency call in Applecross, one of our helicopters had to make a safe but unexpected landing in Torridon due to local weather conditions.

"There was no patient on board, and the pilot and SAS crew are safe and well."

The AAIB said it had dispatched a team to begin an investigation into the accident.