Heartbreak as car crash kills teenager
Family and friends pay tribute following accident
THE mother of a university student has said she has been left “devastated” after her teenage daughter died in a crash in Argyll.
Amy Simpson, 18, of Cowdenbeath, Fife, died after her car plunged into a river south of Oban on Tuesday.
The four female friends she was holidaying with managed to get out of the vehicle and escaped with minor injuries.
A TEENAGER has been killed during a holiday with friends after the car she was driving plunged into a river.
Amy Simpson, 18, died after her car left the road and was submerged. The incident happened at Dalavich, around 25 miles south of Oban, Argyll and Bute, when the Peugeot ended up on its roof in the River Avich at about 6.45pm on Tuesday.
Four teenage female passengers escaped from the car with minor cuts and bruises. The crash happened after they had been visiting a friend’s cabin.
Ms Simpson, of Cowdenbeath, Fife, is thought to have been a student at the University of Edinburgh.
Her heartbroken mother Angela paid tribute to her daughter as “my world, best friend, my daughter, my rock, my everything”.
Announcing the news on social media, she wrote: “Amy unfortusuch nately died last night whilst she was up north with four other friends.
“I don’t know exactly what happened yet but Amy was driving and all I know is the car landed in water, the other four got out but sadly Amy never.” She described herself as totally devastated.
Retired doctor Bill Macrae, 69, was the first on the scene and raised the alarm. He said: “There were five girls in the car and one came and hammered on my door saying the car has gone in the river and there is still someone in it.
“I rushed over and the car was completely under water, apart from one back wheel.
“I rushed back to the house and dialled 999, summoned all the emergency services and did my best to console the four girls who, understandably, were so upset.
“I was just trying to keep the girls calm, they had been under water. According to the rescue guys the temperature was six degrees.”
“They had been in the water a while. How the four of them weren’t injured I just don’t know, one had a minor injury to their hand and one had a cut on her face.
The former hospital medic said it was “very obvious” that “there was no hope for the girl in the car.”
Oban volunteer coastguard attended and one of the team entered the water in a dry suit to see if anything could be done for Ms Simpson. Her body was later recovered by police divers.
Local councillor Julie McKenzie said: “I’m shocked and saddened by a devastating loss of a young life and wish to convey my thoughts and condolences to the young lady’s family and friends at this difficult time.”
Councillor Roddy McCuish, chairman of Argyll and Bute Council’s Oban, Lorn and the Isles Area Committee, said: “Our sympathy goes out to the families of those involved in this tragic accident.”
He said that once the cause of the crash on a narrow singletrack road was known they would see if there was anything that could be done to make the road safer.
Marlilyn Henderson, former Secretary of Avich and Kilchrenan Community Council, said: “There was an accident there a few years ago, where a vehicle went into the water. We asked the council to make the area safe.”
Police said a report will be sent to the Procurator Fiscal.
‘‘ Amy was driving and all I know is the car landed in water, the other four got out but sadly Amy never