A 60-year-old Scotsman dragged a friend a mile down theRiver Clydeafter his boat capsized in icy waters. On July 14, Hugh McGowan was fishing with a 75-year-old buddy when a piece of wood struck a 15-foot boat and capsized it.
A Port Glasgow security guard said minutes later his friend began to struggle in the water and decided to start swimming while pulling. Brave Hugh says he wouldn't have survived the horrific event had the two of them not been wearing lifejackets.
Hugh told the record: It hit the side of the boat and capsized. It was two to three times the size of a ship.
"There were two options: to swim to Cardross or to Port Glasgow. At low tide it was not possible to cross the main channel to Port Glasgow.
28} About ten minutes later, my friend was fainting. I grabbed him and he was paddling on his feet while I tugged him and swam."I had been swimming for about an hour and started to struggle. My friend said, 'You'll need to get away from me and get help. I'll float.'
The pair swam a mile in freezing water between Port Glasgow and Cardross, but Hugh had to leave his friend for help. I did.
He managed to climb onto the railroad from the coast and flag down a Scotrail train whose driver stopped and helped him.
Hugh's friend was safely recovered from the sea by passers-by who used the What3words app to provide the Coast Guard with their exact location.
Hugh continued:
``When I managed to get out of the water and climb the rocks beside the tracks, I almost passed out. Hugh's friend was airlifted to the Queen by Coast Guard Rescue Helicopter 199. Elizabeth University Hospital. and was discharged later that night. His friend was hospitalized for over a week and recovered. A Coast Guard rescue helicopter witnessed the incident (Image: Greenock Coastguard Rescue Team)
He said: "We would have died if we hadn't been wearing lifejackets.
"Catch your breath. I had to stop about 15 to 20 times to get out of the water, and it was my life jacket that kept me out of the water.
Wear life jackets.”
Mark Ilderton, ScotRail's chief driver, said:
"His swift action, including taking one man to Cardross, brought these men from the River Clyde near Cardross.
"No one likes sitting on a late train, but I would like to take this opportunity to I am sure the passengers will appreciate and applaud the driver for helping to rescue these two men.”
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