Tributes paid to student, 23, who died at beauty spot
TRIBUTES have been paid to a Scots student who drowned at a popular beauty spot.
Eilidh McNab died despite the efforts of emergency services to save her at the Bracklinn Falls near Callander, Stirlingshire, last week.
The 23-year-old, who was originally from Lockerbie, Dumfriesshire, got into trouble in the water on Thursday, August 1, and a major search and rescue effort was launched around 11am.
Miss McNab was a promising rugby player at Stirling University.
Her 25-year-old friend, who was also in the water, was rescued and escaped injury.
However, it remained unclear how the two women came to be in the water. According to reports, it is understood that once in the river, Miss McNab was dragged about 50 yards downstream by the current into another pool, where she became trapped. Her brother, Duncan, posted on social media following the tragedy, writing: ‘My sister Eilidh Rowan McNab died on Thursday in a tragic accident. We, as a family, are devastated.’
Her father Ian McNab also wrote: ‘After the untimely death of our daughter and wee sister, Eilidh Rowan McNab, there is a hole in the soul of our family.’
Police are treating the death as unexplained but not suspicious and a report has been submitted to the procurator fiscal.
A spokesman added: ‘Our thoughts are with her family and friends at this difficult time.’
Flowers were left near the scene, with a rugby ball included among the tributes at the site on the Keltie Water, where it crosses the Highland Boundary Fault.
The Scottish Ambulance Service had dispatched a special operations team, an air ambulance, a paramedic response unit and two ambulance crews to the scene of the tragedy.
Around a dozen volunteers from Killin Mountain Rescue Team also attended and were said to have remained at the scene for about three hours during the rescue.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and the Coastguard were also involved.