Top school’s teacher dies in diving horror at quarry
A TALENTED private school teacher has died in a diving accident at a notorious quarry.
The body of Kelda Henderson was recovered from the water yesterday morning after a scuba trip ended in tragedy.
The 36-year-old failed to surface after a night exercise at Prestonhill Quarry, near Inverkeithing, Fife, on Sunday when she ‘got into difficulties’ emergency services said.
A Police Scotland helicopter was scrambled to the scene as police officers, fire service and Coastguard crews joined the search.
Miss Henderson, a mother of one, of Leith, Edinburgh, taught drama at £12,000-a-year George Heriot’s School in Edinburgh. Cameron Wyllie, principal of the independent primary and secondary school that sits in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle, described his colleague as ‘an immensely talented, compassionate and vibrant person who loved teaching drama’.
He added: ‘She inspired a love of her subject in many young people. Those of us at school are very shocked.’
Inspector Ian Stephen, based at Dalgety Bay, Fife, said officers were investigating how Miss Henderson came to be trapped.
He added: ‘This is a tragic incident and our thoughts are with Kelda’s family and friends as they come to terms with this terrible loss. We are supporting Kelda’s family at this time through specially trained officers.’
Yesterday local councillor David Barratt posted on Facebook: ‘Very sad to hear of another tragedy. With proposals to develop the quarry for housing and potentially a dive cenKelda tre, safety remains high on the agenda.
‘It’s unclear if the incident is a result of hazards at the quarry or something else going wrong.’
Inverkeithing Community Council posted: ‘We wish to express condolences to the family and friends of Henderson after the tragic event in Prestonhill Quarry last night.’
The quarry, described online by divers as containing ‘far too many snagging dangers’, has been popular with divers for years, but it has also claimed the lives of two teenagers in the space of a year.
Cameron Lancaster, 18, from Burntisland, Fife, died in August 2014. It was claimed he died after an ‘ice bucket’-style challenge went wrong. His body was recovered after a four-hour search.
John McKay, 18, of Kirkcaldy, Fife, died in June 2015 during a day out with a group of friends.
After the men’s deaths, two exForces instructors launched Forth Diver Training, aimed at preventing another tragedy.
‘She inspired a love of drama in students’