Fewer than 400 Eriskay ponies remain. One of the rarest native breeds in the world, their plight is unique because the community living on their tiny Hebridean island are fighting for them. The ponies...

For the local news and events in the Western Isles, We Love Stornoway connects our island communities, highlighting key happenings and sharing positive stories.

Emergency services are conducting an extensive search operation for a missing fishing boat near the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, following the recovery of one body. The vessel was reported missing off the coast of Port of News on the Isle of Lewis at approximately 11:35 PM on Tuesday, October 13, 2026. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has coordinated a multi-agency response involving a plane, two helicopters, six coastguard rescue teams, two RNLI lifeboats, a local boat, and Police Scotland. The body of one man has been recovered, though formal identification has not yet been completed. Authorities are working under challenging conditions as strong winds are forecast to hit north-west Scotland on Wednesday, with the Met Office issuing a yellow warning for the Outer Hebrides, Skye, and parts of the western Highlands from 10 AM to 7 PM. The weather conditions are expected to complicate search efforts, potentially causing travel disruptions and power cuts. The incident has prompted a coordinated response from emergency services, with the focus remaining on locating the two remaining crew members who are still unaccounted for. The search operation is ongoing as of Wednesday, October 14, 2026, with no further details on the status of the missing individuals.