Family 'heartbroken' as former Scots rugby star Scott Hastings' wife confirmed missing

The wife of former Scottish rugby international Scott Hastings has been missing since Tuesday when she went swimming in the Firth of Forth, the Hastings family have confirmed.

Jenny Hastings failed to return after going for a swim in Wardie Bay in Edinburgh on Tuesday afternoon.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency said they received a “report of concern” at about 2.45pm, and a helicopter, coastguard rescue teams, lifeboats and other nearby vessels all took part in a search.

However the agency said the search failed to find anything, and was called off at 8.20pm that evening.

In a statement, the Hastings family said they were “absolutely heartbroken” at the news, adding that Jenny had “struggled with her mental health for a number of years”.

The statement said: “It’s with huge sadness that we write to advise you that Jenny went for a swim in the Firth of Forth on the afternoon of Tuesday, September 3 2024, and that the incident is being treated by the police as a high risk missing person case.”

It continued: “The Hastings family are absolutely heartbroken.

“Jenny and Scott have a huge following of friends from all walks of life including those that work in the media and we ask that at this moment in time we are allowed to grieve privately with family members.

“For the time being we request that you hold off from messaging us directly and/or posting on any social media until further news.

“We know that you all care for us deeply and as soon as we hear any update from the police we will advise you accordingly.

“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”.

The statement is signed “Scott, Corey, Daniel, Kerry-Anne & Ian”.

Floral tributes have been left at Wardie Bay following the news of Jenny’s disappearance.

Change Mental Health, a charity which Jenny was an ambassador for, said: “We are deeply saddened by the news about Jenny Hastings. Jenny and her husband, Scott, have been close to us at Change Mental Health, serving as ambassadors for our cause for many years. Their dedication to raising awareness about mental health has made a real difference.

“At this very difficult time, our thoughts are with Scott and their family. We kindly ask that their privacy be respected as they go through this period.”

For anyone affected by this news or struggling during this time, we encourage you to seek support. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to Samaritans (116 123) or Breathing Space (0800 83 85 87).