Scotland drownings: Nicola Sturgeon pays tribute to families as multiple confirmed dead at lochs and rivers

The First Minister has paid tribute to the families of those who have tragically drowned as thousands head to beauty spots to cool off in the summer heat.

In the past 48hrs, six people, including four children, have died in water incidents at lochs and rivers in Scotland, Police Scotland confirmed.

Responding to the tragic news, Nicola Sturgeon said: “This is heartbreaking - my thoughts and condolences are with the loved ones of those who have lost their lives in the water over the past couple of days.

“In Scotland, we have some of the most beautiful lochs and rivers in the world - but if swimming in them, please take care.”

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf also paid tribute to families of those who have drowned, adding the news is “absolutely heartbreaking”.

The SNP MP urged the public to stay safe and to heed Police Scotland advice on taking care in lochs and rivers.

The tributes come as officers confirmed the death of a nine-year-old boy, a 41-year-old man and a 29-year-old woman who all got into difficulty in the water near Pulpit Rock at the Ardlui end of Loch Lomond on Saturday evening.

A seven-year-old boy who was also found struggling in the same area of the loch was pulled from the water and is now fighting for his life in hospital.

Nicola Sturgeon pays tribute to families of drowning victims.

Formal identification of the victims is yet to take place but relatives of the three casualties have been informed.

An 11-year-old boy, named locally as Dean Irvine, was pulled from the water at the Alexander Hamilton Memorial Park in Stonehouse, Lanarkshire on Saturday afternoon, where he was pronounced dead at the scene.

And a 13-year-old boy’s body has been recovered from the River Clyde at Hazelbank in Lanarkshire following concerns raised at around 5.55pm on Saturday.

Formal identification is still to take place but the family of the schoolboy has been made aware.

The incidents came a day after Connor Markward,16, from Glasgow, died in Loch Lomond. He got into difficulty in the water near the pier at Balloch Country Park on Friday, sparking a major search.

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this article. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by Coronavirus impacts our advertisers.

If you haven't already, please consider supporting our trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription.