An 11-year-old, Dean Irvine, drowned while playing with friends in a park in Stonehouse, South Lanarkshire on Saturday, around 90 minutes before the Loch Lomond incident.
A 13-year-old boy died in the River Clyde at Hazelbank in Lanark. His body was recovered yesterday after he disappeared on Saturday. Connor Markward, 16, had earlier lost his life at Balloch Country Park, at the south of Loch Lomond, on Friday.
Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s First Minister, described the incidents as “heartbreaking”. She added: “In Scotland, we have some of the most beautiful lochs and rivers in the world – but if swimming in them, please take care.”
Assistant Chief Constable Mark Williams, of Police Scotland, said the number of deaths that had taken place in open waters over Friday and Saturday was “hard to comprehend”.
He said: “The warm weather can make open water swimming and paddling very inviting but it is extremely dangerous, even for the most experienced swimmers or supervised children. The conditions can change very quickly and there are often hidden risks like deeper water and strong currents.
“The message I want to send to everyone is exercise extreme caution. It is better to keep a safe distance from water if possible.
“Tragically, this weekend has highlighted that open water is very, very dangerous.”