A young dad has become the seventh person to die following a weekend of tragedy in Scotland's open water.
Takeaway chef Aman Sharma was pulled from the water at Loch Lubnaig on Sunday after getting into difficulty while swimming.
The 34-year-old was rushed to Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital where he sadly passed away on Tuesday.
His best friend Kawaldeep Singh said the dad was enjoying a day out with friends when he jumped into the water. Mr Singh immediately noticed that he had got into difficulty and leaped in to try and save him.
Despite his friend's efforts, Aman disappeared from sight for around 15 minutes before he was seen floating in the water by frantic onlookers. After being pulled from the loch, two nurses and a member of the fire brigade from the crowd gave CPR until emergency services arrived around twenty minutes later.
He was rushed to intensive care with a severe brain injury due to lack of oxygen and the decision was taken by his family in India and brother in Australia to turn his life support off after there were no signs of improvement.
As Aman hadn't been able to visit his parents in India in four years, his devastated friend has launched a fundraiser to return his body to them.
Kawaldeep told the Daily Record: "I could not save his life but now I hope I can send his body back to his family and loved ones.
"He came to Scotland by himself and I came by myself but we met in 2012. We became good friends because we are from the same hometown and we liked each other very much.
“He was a friend but he was more like family to me. He was my brother. I’m badly in shock and I’m missing him so much.”
Police Scotland confirmed that there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding the young chef’s death and said a report has been submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.
Aman is one of seven people to have drowned in beauty spots around the country over one weekend.
Connor Markward, 16, from Glasgow, passed away on Friday afternoon at Loch Lomond while Edina Olahova, 29, her son Rana Haris Ali, 9, and friend Mohammad Asim Raza, 41, died in the same body of water the following day.
Dean Irvine, 11, also tragically drowned in Stonehouse, Lanarkshire on Saturday while 13-year-old Jamie Gilchrist lost his life in a Lanark river.
To donate to the fundraiser for Aman, visit here.
