Father, 37, drowns in front of family on isle holiday
A FATHER drowned trying to recover an inflatable while playing with his children at the beach during a family holiday in the Hebrides.
James Smith, 37, got into trouble in the sea at a picturesque spot on the Isle of Eriskay on Tuesday afternoon.
Despite being given CPR for about 90 minutes, he never regained consciousness.
Mr Smith, who had multiple sclerosis, partner Gina and children Jack, 13, and Ruby, six, were enjoying the start of a fortnight’s break.
Gina’s parents Jayne and Andrew Cartledge had booked a holiday cottage on the island, but the tragedy happened only three days after the family arrived. Heartbroken Gina, who had been Mr Smith’s carer for years, said: ‘James meant everything to me. He was my best friend and a fantastic father to the kids.’
Her mother said they chose to spend the day at a small sandy bay on the north-east coast of the island because it was ‘shallow and sheltered, without any waves’.
She explained: ‘The weather was quite nice and (Ruby) was wearing a mermaid costume and wanted to play with an inflatable. The inflatable drifted out over the water but didn’t go very far. James went after it. He is 6ft 4in and the water was only up to his waist. My husband and Jack were in a kayak just a bit further out.’
Mr Smith got into difficulties and they pulled him out of the sea. There was no mobile signal in the bay, so Gina ran to the road and flagged down a passing car. It took her to a nearby house where she dialled 999. A nurse who was in the car ran down to the beach and started CPR but Mr Smith never recovered.
Shop worker Mr Smith, from Blacon, Chester, could not get life insurance because of his condition, which he’d had since his early twenties.
Eriskay residents have launched a GoFundMe site to get his body home to Chester and help with funeral costs. So far, around a third of the £10,000 target has been raised.
Mrs Cartledge said the local community had been ‘amazing’ and helping them as they stay on Eriskay until a post-mortem is conducted.
Two adults and two children using a canoe and paddleboards were rescued yesterday from a stormy Loch Ness near Fort Augustus after being swept away from the shore.
Meanwhile, coastguard teams from Dunbar and North Berwick, along with the North Berwick lifeboat, went to the assistance of a kayaker who had capsized in Berwick Harbour.