Hero tells of desperate bid to save River Tay victim before tragic body find
A hero plumber has told of the moment he desperately tried to rescue a man swept away by the River Tay - months after bravely saving a woman.
Stewart Miller, 54, raced out on his jet ski to try and trace a man who had vanished in the water in Perth on Thursday, August 14.
Stewart, from Perth, was given a Pride of Scotland award for a heroic river rescue of a woman during Storm Isha in January 2024.
The Outstanding Bravery winner for 2025 was called into action again after three pals had dived into the water.
The three men, understood to be from Afghanistan, had jumped into the river at popular Moncrieffe Island seconds before the heartbreaking incident. A 27-year-old man was tragically pulled underneath. His body was found less than 24 hours later further along the river.
Stewart, who was out on the water at the time with his dog Troy, desperately rushed to the man's aid. But his rescue effort soon turned out to be a recovery mission with the man nowhere to be seen.
Just less than an hour later Stewart discovered the body of the man. But as he was preparing to dive into the water the current suddenly swept him away.
Stewart told the Record: 'It was just a horrible situation.
'It has played on my mind all weekend. I kept thinking if I had been five minutes earlier I might have been able to pull him out when he was struggling.
'I saved a woman last year during Storm Isha. When I'm on my jet-ski there is always a chance I can get there in time.
'But once someone disappears under the water you only have seconds. Sadly it quickly turned from a rescue to a recovery.
'By the time I got there he was already gone .His pals were screaming and he was already underneath.
'It was just an absolute tragedy.
'I was so close to getting his body out. I had my lifejacket off and I was ready to jump in. The police told me not to but I was going to do it to get the poor lad out.
'I found out the next day who the guy was. He had come over from Afghanistan and was staying in a hotel.
'When I heard that I went back out to look for him. It went from being a body to a real person.
'I'm glad they managed to trace him and I hope that brings closure to his loved ones.'
Stewart has told how the horror unfolded in front of kids who were out paddling in th e river at the popular bathing spot.
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He said: 'At first I could see the kids' arm bands floating in the water. I rushed over thinking something had happened to the children.
'The water was so calm it was a beautiful peaceful night. I can't believe how quickly it turned.
'The kids' mum had thrown the armbands in to try and help the poor man. But the way he had been pulled under they had no chance.'
And he has expressed concerns over how long specialist water crews took to arrive at the scene claiming that water rescue specialists took more than 40 minutes to arrive.
He also hopes the incident will reinforce the need for life-saving equipment by the river.
He added: 'I've said to the council before about a safety ring where this tragedy happened.
'The response time to someone drowning was also a huge concern.
'I understand services are stretched but in a situation like this every second counts.'
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "The body of a 27-year-old man was recovered around 5.20pm on Friday, 15 August, 2025, following searches in the Moncreiffe Island area of Perth.
"A man was reported to be in difficulty in the water around 7.45pm on Thursday, 14 August, and extensive searches were carried out by the Mountain Rescue Team, Air Support Unit, Dive and Marine Unit and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.
"Formal identification is yet to take place and enquiries are ongoing.
"There are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances surrounding the death and a report will be sent to the Procurator Fiscal in due course."
A Perth and Kinross Council spokesperson said: 'Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the victim of Thursday night's tragedy.
"Water safety signs and equipment has been placed at selected waterside locations across Perth and Kinross, including along the Tay in Perth.
'We advise people not to go into the water as, although it may look calm, rivers like the Tay can have very strong currents and other hidden dangers.'
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service were also contacted for comment.
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