Canoe tragedy sisters were three years apart but they were as inseparable as ... - Scottish Daily Record

THERE were three years between them, but canoe tragedy victim Gracie Mackay and her big sister Callie were so close they could
have been twins.

Gracie, five, died yesterday – the third child lost in the horror in Loch Gairloch which has now claimed four lives.

And her family fear Callie, eight, who survived, will never get over it.

The girls' step-grandmother, Pennie MacDonald, said yesterday: "We don't know what she'll do without her little sister.

"They were like twins – they were inseparable. We're just devastated beyond words."

Gracie, five, passed away at Glasgow's Sick Kids hospital.

Her death followed those of family friends Ewen Beaton, five, and his brother Jamie, two.

The boys' dad Ewen snr, 32, was still missing last night. The search for his body was expected to resume this morning.

Ewen Beaton with sons Ewen and Jamie

 

Callie and her dad Garry, 36, swam several hundred yards to shore to raise the alarm after their canoe capsized.

Rescuers described Callie's actions as "extremely courageous".

Ewen snr and Garry were close pals, and the two families travelled from their homes in Inverness-shire for a fun Sunday together at one of the most beautiful spots in the Highlands.

They were paddling round Longa Island, a few hundred yards off the beach at the Big Sands campsite near Gairloch, when the six-man Canadian canoe capsized at about 4pm.

All four children were reportedly wearing buoyancy aids. The two adults are not thought to have been wearing any kind of lifejackets.

A friend of Garry's said: "I asked him what happened.

"He said he didn't know. One minute they were in the canoe, the next minute it had capsized.

"Within seconds, the kids had floated away from him and he couldn't reach them.

"Callie was closest to him and he managed to reach her and they both swam ashore to get help.

"We just can't believe it how a pleasant Sunday afternoon can go so badly wrong.

"It was only a couple of days ago that the kids were playing in my garden."

Ewen jnr and Jamie died after being found in the water and flown to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness.

Gracie was taken first to Broadford Hospital in Skye before being transferred overnight by helicopter to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children at Yorkhill in Glasgow.

Delivery driver Garry and the girls' mum, Wendy MacDonald, 37, rushed to be with her.

Garry Mackay with daughters Gracie and Callie

 

Garry picked up his mum Juliann and sister Michelle from their home in Inverness and they travelled to Glasgow together.

Wendy's dad Billy MacDonald made a desperate dash to get to the hospital yesterday – only to get there moments too late.

Pennie, Billy's second wife, said: "He left this morning to be at Gracie's bedside but he arrived two minutes after she died. He's absolutely devastated."

Gracie had only just started school. She went into primary one at Tarradale school in her home village of Muir of Ord after the summer holidays. Callie was already a pupil there.

Ewen jnr was also in primary one, at 61-pupil Teanassie Primary near Beauly. Jamie was due to start nursery at the school at the end of the year.

The Beaton family said in a statement: "We are utterly devastated by what has happened and the loss of our beautiful little boys.

"We appreciate all that has, and is being, done by emergency services to find their adoring father, Ewen.

"It is too difficult to say anything more at this time and we would appreciate our family being left in peace to grieve our terrible loss."

Alison Donald, acting head teacher at Teanassie, said: "As we are a small community, the school, parents and the wider community will feel this loss deeply."

James Martin, chairman of the school's parent council, added: "The Beatons are a well-known and highly respected family and the impact of their loss will be felt throughout the community."

Ewen, of Beauly, loved the outdoors. He told pals on Facebook last year that he had suffered a deep gash to his foot while "climbing a few Munros", but had "got it sorted at A&E".

A helicopter, and lifeboats from Portree, Gairloch and Loch Ewe, joined the search for Ewen and the missing children on Sunday.

They were helped by local boats, and police, Stornoway Coastguard and the Red Cross were also involved.

Rescue teams search Loch Gairloch for missing canoeist

 

The operation resumed at dawn yesterday, with Gairloch and Lochinver Coastguard rescue teams searching the shore and outlying islands.

Carol Collins, Stornoway Coastguard watch manager, said yesterday: "The weather is less favourable for searching than Sunday but units have been out since first light.

"Sadly, at this stage the search and rescue phase has now moved to a recovery mission."

Coastguard sector manager Peter Todding said a 60 square mile search area had been "extensively covered" by aircraft and surface vessels.

He added: "We've covered the same ground over and over at least three to four times."

Rescue team members were due to resume coastline searches this morning.

Peter praised Callie for the bravery she showed during her 500-metre swim to shore.

He said: "She is very courageous and very resourceful to be able to complete that. That's no mean feat for an adult."