Witnesses have described the terrifying final moments as a stolen vehicle plunged into the docks at Methil on Wednesday afternoon, killing a local man.
Kevin Purves (44), from Methil, drowned after the pick-up truck he was driving careered into the docks while being pursued by a police van at around 4.30pm.
Initial indications were that the truck and the tailing police van had not been travelling at high speeds, with one witness suggesting the truck had been around 150 yards away from the police van before falling into the water.
“I saw the yellow van coming towards the waterfront, it did a sharp turn to the left and just sort of flipped over, rolled over and went into the water and there was a police van behind it as it happened,” he said.
“Once the big splash went away I saw the yellow van sitting there in the water and it just went under about 30 seconds to a minute later.”
Another witness said, “The van sank in a few minutes but it looked like the police had stayed back — the officers could do nothing about saving the driver.”
The incident has sparked an independent investigation by neighbouring Central Scotland Police into the circumstances surrounding Mr Purves’ death — understood to be a matter of course in such situations.
The truck’s plunge into the dock was just the final link in a chain of events which started earlier that day on the Forth road bridge.
Staff from the Forth Estuary Transport Authority (FETA) were working on a bridge gantry when Mr Purves jumped into one of their yellow pick-up trucks and drove off.
An alert to police across Fife was put out and officers on a routine patrol in South Street in Methil, near the Bawbee Bridge, later spotted the stolen truck being driven towards the Dubbieside area.
Followed by the police van, the truck turned into Harbour View, past East Fife FC’s New Bayview Stadium, and turned right along a track towards the dock.
Whether Mr Purves lost control or deliberately drove into the water is unclear, although Central Scotland Police will now try to establish exactly what happened and clarify the part Fife officers played in the incident.
Superintendent John Pow, from Fife police, confirmed the body of a 44-year-old local man had been recovered from the vehicle that had entered the water at Dock No 3.
“Officers had been alerted to the presence of the vehicle, which had been stolen from the Forth Road Bridge being used by bridge staff earlier that day, on South Street, Methil, shortly before the vehicle entered the water,” he said.
“Specialist officers from Central Scotland Police diving unit attended and assisted in the recovery of the man’s body which was found in the vehicle.
“Central Scotland Police, who have assisted in the recovery of the man’s body and the vehicle, have also been invited to review the circumstances of police involvement prior to the vehicle entering the water at Dock 3.
“Witnesses have identified themselves to the police in relation to this inquiry and I would issue a further appeal for people to come forward that may assist us.”
Mr Pow said it would be “inappropriate” for him to make any comment on the police role in the incident, pointing out that it could compromise the independent investigation.
He added that police had not gone into the water after the truck fell as they were not equipped to do so, confirming that the coastguard and specialist divers from Central Scotland Police had been alerted immediately.
After divers searched the dock to ensure no one else was in the water on Wednesday night, Mr Purves’s body was removed from the submerged vehicle shortly after 11pm, while the truck was winched dockside by a crane in the early hours of yesterday morning.
While there had been a substantial police presence at the docks late on Wednesday, there was no sign of any incident yesterday morning apart from yellow chalk marks on the ground indicating where the truck had entered the water.
There were also chalk marks to show where the water had splashed up on to the dock, thought to be helpful in determining how fast the vehicle may have been travelling.
Mr Purves, who was raised locally, was described by one resident as a “jack of all trades,” having tried his hand at fishing, painting and window cleaning among other ventures in recent times.
His father Rab and brother Darren visited the scene briefly yesterday but did not wish to talk to reporters.
Police confirmed that the procurator fiscal at Kirkcaldy has been notified, while a post-mortem examination will be carried out.
“We’re in contact with the family and giving them the support and welfare they need at this time,” Mr Pow said.
Anyone who thinks they can help the investigation should contact 0845 600 5702.
Mr Purves was known to police, having made off from Pittenweem Harbour in his father’s fishing boat after a night out drinking on December 24, 1987.
That sparked a major search and rescue operation involving helicopters from RAF Leuchars, Lossiemouth and Northumberland which cost taxpayers around £30,000.
Mr Purves was later admonished by the courts, although he was ordered to pay compensation.
Mr Purves featured in The Courier in January 2004 when he helped deliver his baby daughter by the side of a busy road.
On the way to Forth Park Maternity Hospital, Kirkcaldy, he had to pull over on the Standing Stane Road and helped deliver his daughter as traffic thundered by.
Mr Pow said it would be “inappropriate” for him to make any comment on the police role in the incident, pointing out that it could compromise the independent investigation.
He added that police had not gone into the water after the truck fell as they were not equipped to do so, confirming that the coastguard and specialist divers from Central Scotland Police had been alerted immediately.
After divers searched the dock to ensure no one else was in the water on Wednesday night, Mr Purves’s body was removed from the submerged vehicle shortly after 11pm, while the truck was winched dockside by a crane in the early hours of yesterday morning.
While there had been a substantial police presence at the docks late on Wednesday, there was no sign of any incident yesterday morning apart from yellow chalk marks on the ground indicating where the truck had entered the water.
There were also chalk marks to show where the water had splashed up on to the dock, thought to be helpful in determining how fast the vehicle may have been travelling.
Mr Purves, who was raised locally, was described by one resident as a “jack of all trades,” having tried his hand at fishing, painting and window cleaning among other ventures in recent times.
His father Rab and brother Darren visited the scene briefly yesterday but did not wish to talk to reporters.
Police confirmed that the procurator fiscal at Kirkcaldy has been notified, while a post-mortem examination will be carried out.
“We’re in contact with the family and giving them the support and welfare they need at this time,” Mr Pow said.
Anyone who thinks they can help the investigation should contact 0845 600 5702.
Mr Purves was known to police, having made off from Pittenweem Harbour in his father’s fishing boat after a night out drinking on December 24, 1987.
That sparked a major search and rescue operation involving helicopters from RAF Leuchars, Lossiemouth and Northumberland which cost taxpayers around £30,000.
Mr Purves was later admonished by the courts, although he was ordered to pay compensation.
Mr Purves featured in The Courier in January 2004 when he helped deliver his baby daughter by the side of a busy road.
On the way to Forth Park Maternity Hospital, Kirkcaldy, he had to pull over on the Standing Stane Road and helped deliver his daughter as traffic thundered by.