Teenager drowns in river tragedy

Kevin McRae was swimming in the River Tay with friends

A 15-year-old boy has drowned in Perth, the fourth such fatality in 24 hours.

It is understood Perth Grammar School pupil Kevin McRae had been swimming in the River Tay with school friends when he got into difficulties.

On Tuesday, 32-year-old Amin Khan drowned at Pitlochry, 21-year-old Scott Beattie died in Blairgowrie and William Nyguist, 23, drowned in Loch Lomond.

Tayside Police said it was not clear if the boy lost his footing or had been affected by the cold Tay water.

A pair of passing Polish workers are reported to have entered the water and managed to locate the schoolboy and drag him to the shore.

DROWNING VICTIMS Scott Beattie, 21, from Blairgowrie, died in the River Ericht Amin Khan, 32, from Perth, died in the River Tummel Kevin McRae, 15, from Perth, died in the River Tay William Nyguist, 23, from Glasgow, died in Loch Lomond

But the youngster, believed to have spent as long as 15 minutes in the water, suffered cardiac arrest.

He was taken to Perth Royal Infirmary but was pronounced dead soon afterwards.

Inspector Stewart Patience said: "We have had a 15-year-old boy swimming and he appears to have got into difficulty. It's fresh running water, so it's always cold.

"Nobody has suggested to us that he was a weak swimmer. We think he was in the water for anything up to 15 minutes.

"Two Polish people working nearby saw him and they went into the water and eventually located him and pulled him out.

Hot spell

"They just happened to be walking past when they saw what was happening. He was under the water at the time."

Tayside Police had issued a warning on Wednesday about the dangers of entering open water during the current hot spell.

Inspector Patience added: "We had obviously issued a warning, but I don't know if it's being heeded at all."