A woman who disappeared while wild swimming in Scotland is the wife of rugby legend Scott Hastings, her family has confirmed.
Jenny Hastings, 60, disappeared on Tuesday afternoon after going swimming with a group in the Firth of Forth in Edinburgh.
The Hastings family said they were “absolutely devastated” by the news, adding that Jenny had “struggled with her mental health for years”.
A large-scale search operation involving boats and helicopters was launched in Wardie Bay, but rescue efforts were halted on Wednesday.
In an emotional statement last night, her family said her loss would leave a “gaping hole in our hearts.”
The mother of two had previously attempted to end her own life and the Hastings family said this week’s disappearance was being “treated as a high-risk missing persons case”.
Jenny Hastings disappeared earlier this week during a wild swim in Edinburgh
Scott and Jenny Hastings on their wedding day
They added: ‘As many of you know, Jenny struggled with her mental health for years and ultimately this time she couldn’t deal with it.
‘She swam from Wardie Bay in Edinburgh into the Firth of Forth and it appears she wanted to end her suffering in a place that was a permanent, healing place for her.
‘She loved the water, but unfortunately her mind was not safe.
“The Hastings family is devastated.”
The family, who announced the devastating news last night, said: “We miss our Jenny. She leaves a huge hole in our hearts and we hope she is returned to us safely so we can celebrate her remarkable life.”
The statement was signed ‘sweetest regards’ and attributed to husband Scott, Corey, Daniel, Kerry-Anne and Ian.
The Hastings family said they were “absolutely devastated” by the news, adding that Jenny had “struggled with her mental health for a number of years”. Jenny (pictured here with her husband Scott)
Jenny Hastings has not returned after going swimming in Wardie Bay in Edinburgh, police said
The family, who announced the devastating news last night, said: ‘We miss our Jenny. She leaves a gaping hole in our hearts and we hope she returns to us safely.’
An intensive search and rescue operation was launched in the Firth of Forth on Tuesday afternoon, with coastguard helicopters zigzagging over the estuary in a desperate attempt to locate the vessel.
Rescue boats were also deployed to the water to search for Mrs Hastings. Shortly before 3pm, emergency services were alerted to a ‘report of concern’.
But the search was ultimately fruitless and the Coast Guard called off the search after more than five hours.
Mrs Hastings has previously spoken openly about her long-term battle with severe depression.
She has suffered from the disease all her adult life and has previously attempted suicide.
The couple had previously revealed that she had attempted suicide by eating nuts in an attempt to trigger a severe allergy, and Mr Hastings had to give her an adrenaline injection to save her life.
They also revealed that she once ‘panicked and ran away’ and walked about 25 miles from Leith to the Pentland Hills in 36 hours before going to a police station.
She had no phone with her and made no attempt to make contact, while her husband desperately searched for her.
The disappearance of Mrs Hastings sparked a major search in the Firth of Forth
Emergency services were called at 2.45pm on Tuesday after a wild swimmer went missing after ending up in the Firth of Forth (Picture: Coastguard rescue teams)
Mrs Hastings said of the incident: ‘It’s awful to think about, but the reality is I just wanted to get away.
“I wanted to be alone. I thought no one wanted me around anymore. It’s just awful, it’s a terrible disease.”
Mr Hastings is one of Scotland’s finest players, having played 65 times for his country and twice for the British and Irish Lions.
He had previously described his wife’s disappearance as a form of self-harm.
Speaking in 2017, Mr Hastings said: ‘It’s clinical depression. Because it’s an illness, it just happens.
‘I have awe for Jenny because it’s amazing how she can talk about it, and especially now that she’s so down, it’s really hard to encourage her to do anything.
‘She suffers from low self-esteem, low self-image, exhaustion and low energy, but somehow she manages to turn the tide. By walking, swimming, doing yoga and getting out of the building, she is able to overcome it.
‘We’ve had three very intense episodes in the past three years, but each time you learn a little bit more.’
A large-scale search and rescue operation was launched after Jenny was unable to reach the Wardie Bay shoreline with the rest of the group (pictured: a helicopter flying overhead)
The search continued with a police presence in Granton Harbour (pictured: a boat searching for the missing woman)
Mr Hastings added: ‘People have other ways of harming themselves, there are people who cut themselves. Jenny feels like a burden to her family and me, so her way is to get away. She walked to the Pentlands and spent 36 hours with no contact.
‘It’s happened a few times and this time it was longer. She might be gone for eight, nine, ten hours, but this time it was serious because it was so long.
‘I used to feel ashamed of Jenny’s illness because there was a stigma attached to mental health. But everyone is susceptible and it’s okay to talk about it.
‘Exercise plays a huge part in Jenny’s recovery and often being out in the fresh air provides huge benefits.’
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