TWO men missing in a speedboat in the Irish Sea off the coast of Dumfries and Galloway have been found dead.

Coastguard sources say the bodies of Sandy Hamilton, 35, and Kevin James McKinley, 46, both of Larkhall, South Lanarkshire were recovered from the sea and are now "in the care of the police".

It is understood the bodies were brought ashore by lifeboat at Portpatrick, on the Rhinns of Galloway, in south west Scotland early Sunday evening.

The coastguard was first alerted when the men, aged 35 and 46, in an 18 foot black Fletcher speedboat did not return to Port Logan in Dumfries and Galloway on Saturday evening.

Police said their destination was not known but they were headed in the direction of Stranraer.

Officers are still trying to establishing the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Ch Insp Mark Hollis said: "We still don't know what may have happened or not at this stage."

He said that even when the water was calm inshore, conditions could "change dramatically" when further out at sea.

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"It may well just be the case that the men have come into difficulties further off shore," he added.

"I wouldn't want to discourage anybody from using the magnificent facilities that we have got around our coastline.

"But the thing for me is always about making sure that you are well kitted out and well suited to do that.

"Make sure that your boat, your equipment and everything else that might be associated with that is fit for purpose."

Two helicopters and lifeboats searched the water overnight, but nothing was found on Saturday.

Ten rescue teams joined the operation on Sunday, along with Police Scotland.

But on Sunday evening a coastguard source confirmed: "Their bodies were recovered from the sea earlier."

One observer at Portpatrick said that the RNLI boat had returned with "screens covering the boat, so sadly looking grim", as a  "major police presence" awaited at the harbour.

Inspector Stephen Bell, of the Dumfries and Galloway Police Division, later confirmed: "Following a joint search operation by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, the RNLI and Police Scotland, we can confirm that the bodies of two men have been recovered from the west coast of the Irish Sea."

The bodies had yet to be formally identified but police believed they were the missing men.

“Enquiries are ongoing to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident," added Insp Bell.

The painstaking search - covering a meticulously planned area based on the vessel's known and projected movements - continued through the night but nothing has been found.

The search was based on the vessel's known and projected movements and was being concentrated off the Mull of Galloway.

Earlier Maurice Neill of RNLI Donaghadee said: "The water temperature is still very cold at this time of year, it's only 10C or 11C and your chances of surviving in the water for much longer than an hour are very poor.

"If you are better equipped, and we understand these people are equipped with life jackets and in at least one case, a dry suit, which is a full body suit, then the chances of survival if we can pick them up, hopefully, are very high."

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Coastguard rescue teams from Portpatrick, Stranraer, Ballantrae, the Isle of Whithorn and Bangor in Northern Ireland were involved in the operation.

They were joined by lifeboats from Port William, Stranraer, Donaghadee, in Northern Ireland, and Ramsey and Peel on the Isle of Man.

Coastguard search and rescue helicopters from Prestwick and Caenarforn in Wales were also scrambled to help.

Insp Claire Walker of Police Scotland earlier said the men launched a speedboat at Port Logan at around 9pm on Saturday "with the intention of going on a leisure trip" but their destination was unknown.

“Since the matter was reported to the coastguard at 8.20pm on Saturday evening, we have been working with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and the RNLI to trace the men," she said.

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