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Wife of Rugby Star Goes Missing While Wild Swimming in Scotland: ‘Gaping Hole in All Our Hearts’

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Wife of Rugby Star Goes Missing While Wild Swimming in Scotland: ‘Gaping Hole in All Our Hearts’

The wife of an international rugby star has gone missing while wild swimming in Scotland amid fears that she has died by suicide. 

According to multiple outlets including BBC News and U.K. newspapers The Guardian and The Times, Jenny Hastings — the wife of Scottish rugby star Scott Hastings — was reported missing in Wardie Bay, Edinburgh, shortly before 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 3.

In a statement obtained by PEOPLE, the U.K. coastguard said they were alerted to a “report of concern” at 2:45 p.m. on Tuesday and “coordinated the search for a woman in the water at Wardie Bay, Edinburgh.”

“The HM Coastguard search and rescue helicopter from Prestwick was sent as well as Coastguard Rescue Teams from Fisherrow and South Queensferry. The RNLI’s inshore lifeboats from Kinghorn and South Queensferry supported, as well as nearby vessels. The HM Coastguard search was stood down at 8.20pm on 3 September,” the statement added.

Police Scotland told PEOPLE that they received a report of concern for a woman in the water and that searches for the missing woman were ongoing.

Scott and Jenny Hastings on their wedding day.

Alamy


According to a family statement seen by The Times, Jenny, 60, may have died by suicide.

“(She) struggled with her mental health for a number of years and ultimately she was unable to cope on this occasion,” read the statement, per The Times.

“It appears that she wished to end her suffering in what was a regular and healing place for her. She loved the water but unfortunately her mind was not in a place of safety,” the statement reportedly continued. 

“The Hastings family are absolutely heartbroken. We miss our Jenny. She leaves a gaping hole in all our hearts and hope that she is returned to us safely so that we can celebrate her remarkable life,” it added. 

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Per The Times, The Guardian and the BBC the statement added that her disappearance is currently being treated by police as a “high-risk missing person case.”

The statement was attributed to “Scott, Corey, Daniel, Kerry-Anne & Ian.” Jenny’s husband Scott, 59, played for the Scottish national rugby team from 1986 until 1997 and toured with the prestigious British & Irish Lions in 1989 (Australia) and 1993 (New Zealand).

Scott Hastings.

ITV/Harry Page/Shutterstock


Jenny also went missing for 36 hours in 2017, per The Times, The Guardian and the BBC. She was found 10 miles from her home without her phone after eventually finding her way to a police station to get help. 

Speaking to The John Beattie TV Programme in June 2017, Jenny said at the time, per the BBC, “I just had to get away from everyone. I felt I was in everybody’s way and I needed to have some time away myself without telling anyone. I didn’t want to be in contact with anyone.”

According to The Times, Jenny attempted suicide in 2014. Per The Guardian Jenny spoke out about the incident in 2014 and said at the time that she had “just wanted to die and end it all”, adding that she thought she was doing her children and husband Scott a favor and that “they would be better off without me”.

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or go to 988lifeline.org.

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