A POLISH man who fought in vain to save his friend from being swept into the river is now facing deportation.
Kamil Luczak’s support worker said he is suffering from post traumatic stress since the tragedy in Inverness just 10 days ago – and that sending him back to Poland would breach his human rights.
Mr Luczak had told charity workers in the Highland capital that he was in a “silly mood” and fooling around when his friend Marek Michalak fell into the water from the Greig Street bridge, in Inverness.
He reported that he had grabbed on to Mr Michalak’s hand to try to save him – but that he was not strong enough to stop him falling.
The tragic incident sparked a major search on January 31 – but Mr Michalak’s body has never been found.
On his social media page, friends have paid tribute in Polish to the “good man” and said he “fell into the river, and was not able to get out”.
Mr Luczak is now believed to be in custody in Glasgow awaiting a first-tier immigration tribunal in relation to separate issues.
A full-scale emergency was launched after Mr Michalak went into the water, involving the coastguard rescue helicopter and lifeboat, but no one has been recovered and the identity of the man who went missing in the River Ness has not been officially released.
However, Aldona Fryc-Danielewska said she had worked with both men in her role at the Polish Support Group Inverness.
Mrs Fryc-Danielewska, who also runs a firm which provides legal advice to Polish nationals in Scotland, said: “He (Mr Luczak) wasn’t drunk but he was in a silly mood. He jumped on the bridge and was swinging on it.
“He wasn’t strong enough, he (Mr Michalak) just fell. He (Mr Luczak) was holding his hand when he fell.
“He (Mr Luczak) was trying to save him (Mr Michalak), but unsuccessfully.
“He (Mr Luczak) had a nervous breakdown, a day before he was detained, and started drinking again. He suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder.
“Right now he needs to be hospitalised in a psychiatric hospital – not to be deported. He’s not eating, cannot sleep as he keeps thinking about the accident.”
Mrs Fryc-Danielewska is in contact with the Polish Consulate in Edinburgh about the case.
She added: “I am a lawyer myself and think there is a serious breach of human rights in this case.
“He should be hospitalised not sent back to Poland. He will not be insured in Poland, he will be homeless and mentally incapable.”
It is understood the move to deport Mr Luczak, who had been homeless, followed some “disruptive behaviour”, a non-appearance at court last month and “irregular” payments of fines.
Alison Spriggs also volunteers at the Polish Support Group Inverness, and met Mrs Fryc-Danielewska at the Inverness Christian Fellowship.
She confirmed that Mr Michalak was the man who went missing, and that Mr Luczak had been with him that night.
A police spokesman would not comment on Mr Luczak’s case last night, and would not say whether officers believed Mr Michalak was the man who had fallen into the river.
A Home Office spokesman said: “We do not routinely comment on individual cases.”