Woman dies after vehicle plunges into river
A WOMAN died after her car plunged into the Clyde yesterday.
The motorist is thought to have been driving along Lapwing Road, Renfrew, when her vehicle crashed through a metal fence and entered the water.
Her car struck two other vehicles and is believed to have been travelling at speed along the narrow residential street. The driver was alone in her car.
Emergency services went to the scene at 1.20pm, while a Coastguard helicopter, police divers and two Coastguard rescue teams from Helensburgh and Greenock searched the river.
They found the woman’s body after a lengthy search and later recovered her car, a Peugeot Partner with a disability sticker visible on the boot.
Last night, police officers remained at the scene with a large cordon around the street and area close to the water, including a children’s play park.
Two officers were also seen standing guard outside a block of nearby flats.
One woman, who did not want to be identified, said she had heard a bang before realising a car had gone into the water.
She added: ‘I couldn’t see anything, then I went outside and saw someone had crashed through the barrier and gone into the water.
‘Cars along the street were all marked, they had been hit by her too.’
William McCluskey, 41, was in his house when he heard the car. He said: ‘I heard a car speeding then a big bang as it crashed. I was really shocked.’
Police Scotland are trying to establish the circumstances surrounding the woman’s death. A spokesman said: ‘Police received a report of a car entering the Clyde near Lapwing Road, Renfrew.
‘A search and rescue operation was immediately launched involving officers from Police Scotland, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and HM Coastguard.
‘A full search of the water has been conducted by divers from Police Scotland and a woman’s body has been recovered. A post-mortem examination will take place to establish the cause of death.
‘Inquiries are continuing to establish how the vehicle entered the Clyde, with crash examiners conducting an investigation.’