The River Tay near Grandtully. Photo: Kirsty Smith CC-BY-SA-2.0
Two paddlers and a mountain rescue team were among those who received awards for their part in an attempted rescue of a kayaker trapped underwater.
Simon Fletcher, 19, of Stockton on Tees, died when his craft became lodged against a rock in the River Tay in April 2010. Rescuers were unable to save the student’s life, but battled for 27 hours in hostile conditions in fast-flowing water to free his body.
Fellow kayakers Stephen Macdonald and Stephen Thomas received the Royal Humane Society Testimonial on Vellum for their part in the rescue bid, and Iain Murray and Earle Wilson were awarded the Royal Humane Society Certificate of Commendation.
Tayside Mountain Rescue Team, Tayside Fire and Rescue and the Tayside Police Search and Rescue Unit received the Chief Constable’s Team Award. The recipients were presented with their awards at Tayside Police’s eastern division headquarters in Forfar.
A spokesperson for Tayside Police described the incident: “The River Tay at Grandtully was busy with various groups of canoeists. One group included Simon Fletcher, an experienced canoeist who had represented Great Britain.
“Simon had completed a number of runs but, in the afternoon, the tail of his canoe was caught by the current, he was flipped upstream and became pinned under the water behind the rock known as the Boat Breaker.
“Mr Macdonald and Mr Thomas saw what happened and launched two rafts crewed by the strongest paddlers to help Simon, but the rescue effort failed as the rafts were impossible to control in the current.
“While Mr Macdonald got ropes and directed others to secure them to hold a single raft in place, Mr Thomas attempted to swim to Simon, but was defeated by the current.
“The two men then worked together to create a pulley system of ropes between the banks. Tayside Fire and Rescue, Tayside Mountain Rescue Team and Tayside Police Search and Rescue Unit arrived and worked on the pulley until Mr Thomas was able to reach and stand on top of the rock.
“He tried to move the canoe but it was stuck fast by the unrelenting power of the water.”
The spokesperson said by this time it was clear that Simon could not have survived, but the men continued their efforts during the evening and overnight when Mr Macdonald, Mr Thomas, Mr Murray and others remained at the scene planning how to dislodge the canoe and free the kayaker, a student at Northumbria University in Newcastle upon Tyne.
In the end, it was decided that the best option was to break up the canoe, piece by piece.
The spokesperson continued: “In the morning, Mr Thomas and Mr Murray were on board the raft which was held in place with the complex rope and pulley system.
“Mr Wilson was contacted to provide further swift water rescue expertise and he made the trip to Grandtully to provide advice. Mr Macdonald took charge of directing the positioning of the raft using his expert knowledge of the river.
“Mr Wilson, Mr Thomas and Mr Murray took turns to puncture the skin of the canoe, from the raft, using large crowbars. Members of Tayside Fire and Rescue, Tayside Mountain Rescue Team and Tayside Police Search and Rescue Unit worked the pulley system from the riverbank.
“Working tirelessly in extremely hostile conditions and more than 27 hours after the incident began, they finally dislodged the canoe and recovered Simon’s body. Around 60 people, professionals and volunteers, were involved in this tragic and challenging operation.
“They showed respect for one another and for Simon and are commended for their humanity, professionalism, dedication and teamwork.”
Mr Fletcher’s parents had travelled up from Teesside and watched the rescue operation from the banks of the river.
