A woman who died in a diving accident at a Fife quarry was an Edinburgh school teacher.
Kelda Henderson’s body was removed from Prestonhill Quarry in Inverkeithing on Monday morning.
The mother-of-one, a drama teacher at George Heriots school in the capital, had been diving at the site on Sunday but failed to resurface.
Inspector Ian Stephen of Dalgety Bay Police Station said: “This is a tragic incident and our thoughts are with Kelda’s family and friends as they come to terms with this terrible loss.
“Inquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances surrounding this incident. I would like to thank the officers, public and partner agencies who assisted with our search.”
It is understood that divers found Ms Henderson’s body, who had been reported missing late on Sunday night, shortly before 10.30am on Monday morning after a major search of Prestonhill Quarry in Inverkeithing resumed at first light.
Emergency services rushed to the quarry after the alarm was raised by the woman’s friends on Sunday night.
Police divers and a helicopter searched the water as darkness fell, but water rescue teams from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service were stood down at 12.30am on Monday morning.
However, divers were back out scouring the site early on Monday morning – and people were urged to stay away as search continued.
It is the latest tragedy at the notorious water body.
The flooded quarry previously claimed the lives of two young men in the space of a year.
In June 2015 18-year-old John McKay drowned at the flooded quarry and in August 2014 Cameron Lancaster, also 18, lost his life when an ice bucket challenge went wrong.
Fences were erected around the quarry in the wake of the tragedies, but the area is still popular with sub-aqua clubs.
Inverkeithing councillor Alice McGarry, who lives nearby, said: “I was watching TV when I became conscious of all the blue lights flying past.
“Divers think it’s a great place, but it’s so deep and dark and there are so many nooks and crannies.”
The quarry is regularly monitored by police officers and, with the summer holidays now upon us, just last Saturday south-west Fife community police Tweeted about conducting a check of the area.
A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokeswoman said: “We mobilised two appliances as well as our water rescue teams.
“The incident was handed to the police when we were stood down at 12.30am on Monday.”
