Swimmers plucked to safety as ship crosses race

Published on Tuesday 8 September 2009 09:49

SWIMMERS braving the icy waters of the Firth of Forth were forced to dodge a ship as it unexpectedly crossed their path during the estuary's annual race.

Onlookers watched in disbelief as the vessel made its way through the route of the Forth Swim on Sunday – even though boats were apparently meant to be banned from travelling for the hour of the event.

Jacqueline Farrell, whose 12-year-old daughter Autumn was among the swimmers heading from South to North Queensferry, was watching from the shore.

The Livingston mother said: "The ship was heading out to the sea and it was massive. It should not have been crossing. We were saying, 'There's a ship!' as it started to sound its horn."

Event organiser Andrea Gellan added: "We were taken aback, but Forth Ports have said they are now investigating. It should not have been there."

Of the 28 swimmers in the event – which began just after 4:30pm – four had already made it past the line of the boat as it arrived, allowing them to complete the race uninterrupted. But Autumn, a pupil at Livingston's St Margaret's Academy and a member of the Fauldhouse Penguins swimming club, was in fifth position and taken out of the water by safety crews who arrived quickly in boats and canoes to stop swimmers from crossing the path of the ship. Her mother, 42, said: "She was in the boat for about two minutes and then she jumped back in the water to finish the race."

The youngster, who has dreams of swimming the Channel, went on to beat her 35-minute time from last year, completing the race in 32 minutes and 50 seconds, despite losing her goggles on the way and being stung by jelly fish. The race was won by Aaron Sievewright, 15, also from her club.

Ms Gellan, who has swum the Channel herself, said: "Potentially, this boat could have been a problem, but we did have lots of safety measures in place."

A spokesman for Forth Ports insisted event organisers were told about all shipping movements on Sunday afternoon.