A 10-year-old boy has died in hospital – despite the valiant efforts of his father and a passing doctor who battled to save him when he fell into a Highland river.
Arran Cooper’s mother watched in horror from the other bank of the River Orchy as rescuers fought to resuscitate the youngster after she saw him floating face-down in the water.
Two emergency helicopters flew to the boy’s aid but were hampered by thick trees.
A winchman finally managed to descend into the forest and carry Arran to an air ambulance which was waiting nearby.
The schoolboy, who had been on a camping holiday with his family in Glen Orchy when tragedy struck, was flown to hospital in Glasgow but died yesterday.
Last night, rescuers expressed their sorrow that a major emergency services operation had been unable to save the youngster.
Coastguard station officer Iain MacKinnon said: “The family was setting up camp three-and-a-half miles into Glen Orchy on Tuesday afternoon and their wee boy went exploring.
“His mum saw him floating face-down in the water, and his dad jumped in and took him to the far bank and started CPR. The boy was unconscious.
“His mum flagged down a passing car and there was a doctor in the car.
“He also swam across the river to the other side, where the dad and the boy were, and carried out resuscitation as well.
“All the emergency services were called and a rescue helicopter picked up the boy and took him to hospital.”
A Royal Navy Sea King helicopter from HMS Gannet shore base at Prestwick and a police helicopter containing an emergency medical response team from Glasgow were sent to the scene at Allt Broighleachan in the Caledonian Forest Reserve, along with Oban Coastguard volunteers.
A police spokesman said the rescue operation was made particularly difficult because of the trees lining the riverside, which meant the aircraft were unable to land close to where Arran was lying.
Eventually, the Navy helicopter put a winchman and stretcher down through the forest to reach the youngster, who was from Rutherglen in Lanarkshire, and pull him up.
A Royal Navy spokeswoman said: “They were called to reports of a child in trouble in a river. They diverted from training and when they got to the scene it was a remote and very wooded area with steep ravines.
“They located the casualty and winched him into the aircraft. It was a complicated series of manoeuvres. They transferred the casualty to the Southern General Hospital in Glasgow and then on to Yorkhill.”
A Scottish Ambulance Service emergency medical response team was also landed as close as possible in the police helicopter, and transferred to the Navy helicopter to accompany Arran to hospital.
The police spokesman said: “Around 1.45pm on Tuesday July 22, a 10-year-old boy fell into the River Orchy, near to Allt Broighleachan, Caledonian Forest Reserve, Glen Orchy.
“He was rescued from the water and airlifted to Yorkhill Hospital, but died around 4am this morning, Wednesday July 23.
“The boy was Arran Cooper of Rutherglen, South Lanarkshire who was on holiday with his family. Arran was one of four children and was the second eldest.
“A report will be submitted to the procurator fiscal.”