River Clyde train rescue: 'Without my lifejacket, I'd be dead'

Hugh McGowan swam a mile in freezing water to get help for him and his friend

A 60-year-old man who swam a mile in freezing temperatures after his boat capsized in the River Clyde says his lifejacket saved his life.

Security guard Hugh McGowan and his friend have lived to tell the tale of the dramatic rescue.

After an exhausting swim, Mr McGowan flagged down a passenger train, whose driver stopped and got out to help.

Meanwhile, a passer-by guided a rescue helicopter to the remote location of the second casualty.

The dramatic events took place in the River Clyde, near Cardross, Argyll and Bute, on Thursday.

Mr McGowan and his friend, who is 75, were fishing in his 15ft vessel, as they often did.

A driver stopped a passenger train in order to assist the two in trouble

He told BBC Scotland: "All of a sudden I heard a big bang and the boat capsized.

"We were in the water and I saw a big bit of wood floating down the river that looked like a railway sleeper - that's what hit us and turned us over.

"We were in the water with our lifejackets on and basically had an option to swim to one side of the river or the other.

"The other side, towards Port Glasgow, has a fast-flowing channel and deep water. On the Cardross side, close in, there is shallow water and sand banks so we went for the safe option."

The two men started swimming to shore, stopping to rest before starting again. It took more than an hour to get close to the shore.

'Ran out of steam'

Mr McGowan said: "We would swim so far then run out of steam. I was worried about my mate. I was holding onto him but my arms were failing and my legs were failing.

"He was drifting away and I got him but it happened again and by the third time I couldn't keep up with the current. I had no choice but to leave him."

He got to the shore but was faced with a climb.

"There were a load of rocks in front of the railway," he said. "It felt like I was like climbing Mount Everest. I could hardly walk. I thought I would try to attract the train and see if somebody on the train would phone emergency services."

The train driver saw the man at the side of the track and stopped.

One person was taken to the Queen Elizabeth University hospital by Coastguard helicopter

Steve Muldoon, from Clyde Coastguard, continued the story.

He said: "Hugh had a conversation with the train driver, told him his friend was in the water, their boat had capsized and he needed emergency services assistance.

"I am sure the driver had never dealt with that in his life.

"He raised the alarm first by using his onboard radio he then clambered quite a distance down onto the track.

"At that point he met another member of the public, who had called 999, and managed to go down to the shoreline and enter the water and rescue the second person."

Hugh McGowan's life jacket saved his life

The other rescuer had, while on the phone to the coastguard operator, also guided the helicopter in to the remote area.

Mr Muldoon said; "He managed to give a what3words location as to exactly where he was which was a really exposed beach, not near any houses.

Mr McGowan's friend was taken to hospital in Glasgow by helicopter. The other person was taken onboard the train to a waiting ambulance at Cardross station.

Mr Muldoon praised Mr McGowan's reactions.

He said: "Hugh did all the right things. He had his life jacket on, a layer of clothing underneath, he had enough flares, it's just unfortunate they have hit something that impacted the boat."

Mr McGowan said he was still feeling cold from the experience but glad to be alive.

"Without my lifejacket I'd be dead," he said.

"I did right the boat but it was filled to the top with water and there was no way I could have bailed it.

"The safety measures saved my life.

"My lifejacket was a present for my 60th birthday."

'Swift actions'

Mr McGowan said his friend was staying in hospital for a few days of observation after taking in a lot of water.

He thanked all those who were involved in the rescue.

ScotRail head of drivers, Mark Ilderton, said: "We are immensely proud that his swift actions helped in the rescue of these casualties, including taking one person to Cardross station.

"Nobody likes to be sitting in a delayed train but on this occasion, I am sure passengers will understand and applaud the driver for helping in the rescue of these two people."