Friends of a Moray teen who drowned in a swimming accident at the weekend have said that he died in “a place he loved”.
Police said Forres 19-year-old Matthew Crosbie encountered difficulties trying to swim across the fast-flowing River Findhorn, at the Randolph’s Leap beauty spot.
Randolph’s Leap, six miles south of Forres, is an area popular with local youngsters during the summer months, who jump from its rocky crevices into the gorge below.
After he was reported missing at 4.05pm on Saturday, a full-scale search and rescue operation was launched.
On Sunday morning at 9am Mr Crosbie’s body was discovered at Findhorn Bay.
One of Mr Crosbie’s longtime friends, Ross Edwards, said they enjoyed regular visits to Randolph’s Leap throughout their teenage years.
He said: “Matthew and I used to always go to Randolph’s Leap together in the summer, and go jumping off the rocks with some others.
“It was the worst thing to hear what happened to him, especially in that place that he loved to go.”
Mr Edwards added that Mr Crosbie was “like a brother” to him.
He said: “Matthew and I were the best of friends for a good part of six years – we always used to hang out at and after school.
“He was such a loyal friend and would always give help when you needed him.
“He gave great advice and I could always rely on him to cheer me up when I was down.
“It really felt like he was my brother. He was such a caring friend.
“He was one of the best people to have great banter with and he will never be forgotten, I will truly miss him.”
Another one of Mr Crosbie’s closest friends, Andrew Duncan, yesterday paid tribute to the young man he described as “one of the nicest guys you could ever meet”.
He said: “Matthew was one of my best friends since our second year at Forres Academy.
“He was very outgoing and always with his friends, and he really liked his work, at Joanna’s nightclub in Elgin, as he was a real people person.
“Matthew was a really devoted brother, and he spent a lot of time with his seven-year-old sister.
“This is going to be hard for her, she will miss him a lot.
“I’ll remember Matthew as a loving brother and a very good friend.”
On Sunday Mr Duncan and three others attended Randolph’s Leap and laid flowers in memory of their departed friend.
Mr Duncan said: “We used to go to Randolph’s Leap every summer when the weather was good.”
Last Tuesday Mr Crosbie commented on Twitter that he was “so looking forward to Randolph’s Leap this year”.
A sports and fitness coaching student at Moray College, Mr Crosbie told friends that he aspired to become a PE teacher after achieving his qualifications.
Today his college classmates will visit Randolph’s Leap to lay flowers at the spot.
Mr Crosbie’s lecturers at Moray College UHI, Yvonne Alexander and Kelly McLaren, yesterday issued a joint statement.
They said: “Matthew was well liked by all his classmates and had a really cheeky sense of humour.
“Matthew was exceptionally talented at working with the children he coached as part his course.
“Mathew’s classmates have made a framed memorial picture of the class to present to his family and are going out to Randoph’s Leap with some of the staff to lay flowers tomorrow.
“Mathew will be missed enormously by all at the college who knew him. He had a fantastic future ahead of him.”
Principal at Moray College UHI Frank Hughes said: “Our sincere thoughts are with Matthew’s family at this tragic time.
“He was an exceptional student and had been studying at Moray College UHI for the last two years.
“He was respected by all his peers and staff here at the college.
“It is tragic that such a young life with so much yet to achieve has been cut short so suddenly.”
Prior to starting college Mr Crosbie was a well-liked pupil at Forres Academy, and his head of house Anne Smith yesterday remembered the teen.
She said: “Matthew attended Forres Academy during the latter years of his education, sitting his SQA examinations with us.
“Matthew was always extremely polite and helpful in class with a good word to say for everyone.
“Always friendly, Matthew would never pass you in the corridor without passing the time of day and asking how you were.
“He was well liked amongst his peers for his gentle demeanour, and our thoughts are with his family and friends at this time.”