Swimming trip almost ends in tragedy

Jun 3 2009 by Gordon Robertson, Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser

A QUICK-THINKING hero saved his cousin’s life after a summer swimming trip almost ended in tragedy.

Brave Eddie McNaught dived into a flooded disused quarry after cousin Jason Jarvie disappeared below the surface.

The 24-year-old from Craigneuk in Airdrie rescued the young man who was unconscious and floating downwards to his death.

Eddie said: “When I brought him to the surface I thought he was dead.

“His face was purple and his lips were blue. I just started pounding his chest and blood came up. It was terrible.”

Eddie and Jason and three other mates had gone to the quarry, not far from Easter Moffat Golf Club, near Plains on Sunday to soak up the sun and cool off with a swim.

It was the hottest day of the year so far and they were having a great time.

They were about to head home at around 5.20pm but Jason (21), from Bellshill, jumped in still wearing his clothes and training shoes.

It seemed liked a good laugh at the time but the mood quickly changed when he didn’t come back to the surface.

Eddie said: “He was under the water for about 30 seconds to a minute, so I jumped in but I couldn’t find him and had to come up for air.

“I went back down and I saw him going down toward a rock head first.

“I grabbed him by the ankle and turned him round and pulled him up to the surface.

“My mate John Hammond was there and pulled him out by the arm.

“When I saw him I thought he was dead and one of my mates was screaming because he thought so as well. It was scary.”

The pals got Jason to Eddie’s car which was parked nearby and they faced a race against time to get him to hospital.

On the way they saw a police car and flagged it down and were given an escort to Monklands General Hospital.

Yesterday (Tuesday), Jason was in intensive care after coming off a ventilator.

Eddie added: “Going to the quarry was a regular thing we did every summer but I just want people to know how dangerous it can be. Thankfully, Jason is going to be OK but he could have died.”

Superintendent Henry Campbell warned Monklands residents yesterday of the dangers of swimming in the waterways and lochs around Monklands.

His warning came after two teenagers drowned in separate incidents in Scotland earlier this week.

He told the Advertiser: “This is the time of year when the sun comes out and people walk further than they would normally and are more inclined to go for a swim.

“We would urge them to resist the temptation as while it might look like good fun, there are often currents and other dangers they don’t know about.”