Published: Thursday, 8th November, 2007 11:30
Car Plunge Tragedy
By David Walker
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A woman died in horrific circumstances this week after the car she was driving plunged into the water at a popular Largs fishing spot.
Anglers at the Haylie Fishery looked on in horror on Sunday afternoon as a woman in a red Escort drove up the site’s narrow mud track before skidding headlong into the secluded trout loch.
In a desperate effort to save her, a local angler - who had watched as the shocking incident unfolded - jumped in to pluck her from the depths, but tragically found his efforts were in vain.
Fairlie father-of-two Cameron Neil, who attempted to break the windows of the car as it became swamped by water, said: “I did everything I could. I tried my hardest to save her but I couldn’t.
“I just want to know who she is and say sorry to her family. I want to apologise for not being able to save her. It is something that will haunt me forever.”
Mr Neil added that he might have drowned had the fishery manager not arrived in a boat to drag him to safety. He received medical treatment from an ambulance crew after his ordeal. However, a Coastguard member who was at the scene said: “One of the guys who worked there said he saw the car come in - it had skidded a little then drove straight in.”
A huge emergency presence attended the incident - which happened at around 1.10pm - with police, fire and rescue, ambulance and HM Coastguard all quickly on the scene.
Largs police were first to attend the fishing loch, which lies next to the Haylie Brae viewpoint.
Drivers on the A760 were diverted into single lane traffic as fire units waited to climb the steep incline to the spot. All emergency vehicles gathered at the loch were clearly visible from the main road. However, they were too late to save the woman and were only able to salvage her vehicle from the bottom of the loch. The body was recovered from the water by police divers.
While the woman has not yet been identified, it is understood that officers have now traced the vehicle to a Kilbirnie address and believe the victim was middle-aged. Her family have been told there were no suspicious circumstances.
Loch owner Jason Murray said: “I’m just sick to my stomach - it must be terrible for her family.”
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