A REPORT into the sinking of tourist boat - 'the Vixen' - last September has said the tourist boat that sank on Loch Lomond causing five passengers to jump into the water was in "poor condition".

The report follows an inquiry from the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (Maib) which found a series of failings in the condition of the boat and its operation.

The boat ran into trouble as it crossed the loch near Ardlui marina while carrying six passengers and a skipper - however no passengers were injured.

Five of the six passengers put on lifejackets and jumped out of the boat as it started sinking but one passenger didn't have a lifejacket and was forced to remain on the boat with the skipper until they were dragged under.

The pair managed to swim back to the surface and were later rescued by another boat. The Maib found that the weed hatch, a lid that allows access to the propeller, had corroded allowing water to flood in.

It also said the operators had previously been issued with a prohibition notice by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency because it found that the skippers did not have the correct qualifications.

There was also no specified limit for the maximum number of passengers, and the alarm that would have warned the boat was flooding had been disabled.

The investigation also found that some of the lifejackets were not accessible in the emergency, and none had the recommended minimum buoyancy.

The operators of the Vixen had withdrawn and replaced it from service, and its skippers were training for powerboat qualifications.

Transport Scotland has also been recommended to encourage all councils to introduce boat hire licensing systems.