Scotland's seventh drowning victim in a week dies in hospital
- Published
Aman Sharma had been enjoying a barbecue with friends near Loch Lubnaig shore.
A man has died in hospital after being rescued from Loch Lubnaig on Sunday.
Aman Sharma, 34, from Edinburgh, was the seventh person to die in a water-related incident in Scotland since last weekend.
His best friend Kawaldeep Singh, who tried to save him, told the BBC Mr Sharma jumped into the water not realising how deep it was.
Mr Sharma was airlifted to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow where he died on Tuesday.
Police Scotland said the death was not being treated as suspicious.
Mr Singh said: "He was very lovely, very friendly. He was like more than a friend to me, he was like a brother to me. I feel like I've lost my arm.
"It's been a terrible heart-breaking week and it will stay with us all of our lives."
He has warned people to take care in the water and be aware of the dangers, even in calm water.
'Water was so dark'
The two men, who had come to Scotland from the same part of India, met in 2012 and both worked in fast food shops.
On Sunday, their day off, they took a day trip to the loch near Callander with a group of friends to enjoy the good weather.
The group had a barbeque at a busy picnic area and had been paddling and sitting in shallow water at the shore.
'I tried but I couldn't save my friend'
At one point Mr Sharma, who could not swim, jumped into the water, not realising how deep it was at that point and was quickly submerged.
"I got under him and lifted him up from his leg and his tummy because he was going badly down. I pushed him up four times," Mr Singh said.
"It was very deep. I came up to have a breath and he went down within my hands."
Mr Singh dived under the water again to look for his friend.
"I could not see because the lake was very deep and the water was so dark," he recalled.
Several people who were on the shore came to help, including two nurses and a firefighter. They gave Mr Sharma CPR in an attempt to revive him when he was pulled from the loch after about 10 minutes underwater.
He did not regain consciousness in hospital and died two days later with his friend by his side.
Police were called to Loch Lubnaig after a 34-year-old man got into difficulty on Sunday
"I feel really bad because he was my friend, he was my brother, he was my family here," Mr Singh said.
"When he drowned down he was in my hands, when he passed away he was in my hands. I took him to Callander, to Lake Lubnaig, it was my car.
"I could not save him but this I can do - I can send his body back to India, his soul will be happy."
Mr Singh has set up a crowdfunding appeal to cover the cost of returning Mr Sharma's body to India where it will be cremated by his family according to Hindu tradition.
It has already exceeded its £10,000 target with help from Mr Sharma's employers and customers at Kebab Mahal in Dalkeith. Any extra money will be shared between Mr Sharma's eight-year-old daughter in Glasgow and his family in India.
Mr Singh urged people to take care in the water.
"Water looks very calm, but nature can be very dangerous," he said.
About 15 minutes before the accident, the pair had seen the news that six people had died in the water that weekend.
"We never realised that this could happen [to us]," said Mr Singh. "People that are going to the water, please take it seriously... because you never know what can happen in the next five minutes."
'Devastating' days
Rescue teams have described last weekend as "the worst in memory" after six other people died in incidents on the water.
The Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority said its deepest sympathies were with Mr Sharma's friends and family.
It has been holding meetings with a number of other organisations to discuss water safety measures following last weekend's deaths.
Chief executive Gordon Watson said: "The last few days have been devastating and we are thinking of all of those connected to those who have died.
"A series of urgent meetings are being held this week to reflect on these tragedies and discuss potential further actions to improve water safety.
"We are also using our communications to raise awareness of vital water safety advice, particularly around the risks of cold water shock and potential for sudden changes in the depth of water.
"We ask everyone to take a moment to read about these risks and help us spread these important messages to as many people as possible."
Edina Olahova and her nine-year year old son Rana Haris Ali, pictured with husband and father Waris Ali, died in Loch Lomond last weekend
Edina Olahova, 29, her nine-year-old son, Rana Haris Ali, and their friend Muhammad Asim Riaz died in Loch Lomond near Ardlui last Saturday evening.
Ms Olahova's husband Waris Ali was rescued after trying to save his wife and son.
Mr Riaz's seven-year-old son was rescued and taken to hospital in Glasgow where he is in a critical condition.
It came hours after the death of an 11-year-old boy in a river near Stonehouse, South Lanarkshire.
A 13-year-old boy also died in the River Clyde near Lanark on Saturday evening, while a 16-year-old boy died near the pier at Balloch Country Park on Friday.