Sinking feeling for jet skiers as truck ends up in the drink

The jet-skiers try to bring the truck ashore

A trip to Portobello left one group of red-faced jet skiers in hot water yesterday when their 4x4 truck ended up completely submerged.

Scores of sunbathers watched the drama unfold as the group of men attempted to launch the jet ski, from a trailer connected to their Mitsubishi Warrior.

Unfortunately, the tide came in before they could move the vehicle and they were forced to call for help.

A rescue truck, from Baileyfield Garage in Portobello, arrived but was also forced to enter the water because the vehicle was so far into the sea that it would have been impossible to pull it to shore otherwise.

John Cropley, 46, who owns Forth View bar, which overlooks the beach, said: "The jet ski was on a trailer which was attached to the back of the car.

"They went in the water with the car, unhooked the jet ski and then tried to get the car out the water, but couldn't.

"This happens three or four times a year, every year. It's not the first time and it won't be the last time that a vehicle gets stuck. Last year, it was transit vans and four-wheel drives that got stuck."

Proprietor of Baileyfield Garage, David Blues, 32, was called out to rescue the five-year-old vehicle from the sea at around 2pm. Mr Blues, who lives in Portobello, said: "I thought it might have been too late because the vehicle was already floating, it was in pretty deep.

"The vehicle was too far out so the ropes we had weren't long enough, we had to go back to the garage at Fishwives' Causeway to get more ropes."

The ropes were attached to a winch on one of the two rescue trucks, and the 4x4 was pulled to safety at around 3.30pm.

Mr Blues added: "I have done this type of rescue a few times - at Portobello Beach and at Joppa - but the people always wait until the last minute to phone for help.

"If you get stuck on the sand you should phone someone straight away, but they never, ever do - they always wait until the water is touching the wheels.

Passers-by watch as the jet-skiers size up their problem.

"This kind of thing is pretty common in the area, I've been to a few of these rescues and it's always big-money cars.

"The whole car will need to be stripped down to its bare shell and completely washed out. The salt and sand gets into the brakes and everything."

A spokesman for Lothian and Borders Police said: "It looks like the owner of the car was trying to tow or launch a jet ski and the black 4x4 vehicle got stuck."

The jet skiers did not want to comment.