A woman says she feels “lucky to be alive” after she and her partner were airlifted to hospital following a horrific crash on the Isle of Bute.
Tania Caldeira, 31, and her partner Catia Azevedo, 35, had just finished work when a car allegedly crashed into their vehicle in Port Bannatyne on Monday, April 15.
The couple was transported by air ambulance to Rothesay Victoria Hospital. Caldeira suffered a broken sternum, pulled muscles, and bruising, while Azevedo sustained internal bruising and pulled muscles. A 30-year-old man has been charged with a driving offence and reported to the Procurator Fiscal.
In an interview with the Record, Caldeira described the terrifying experience: “We were driving to the beach because it was a lovely night. All of a sudden, this car hit the front of ours. It was terrifying. I went into shock and was screaming hysterically. I remember feeling a lot of pain and I panicked, not knowing how badly I was injured.”
The couple was helped by a quick-thinking bystander who assisted in getting them out of their wrecked car. “The woman in the car behind us stopped and helped pull us out,” Caldeira continued. “I’m so grateful to her; she helped calm me down and told me to focus on my breathing until the emergency services arrived.”
After the crash, local residents retrieved the couple’s belongings from the damaged vehicle and brought them to their home once they were discharged from the hospital. The couple, who moved to the island from Portugal four years ago, expressed gratitude for the community’s overwhelming support.
“We have been offered so much support from the local community, and it has really meant a lot to Catia and me,” Caldeira said.
A spokesperson for Police Scotland stated, “Around 4.30pm on Monday, 15 April 2024, we received a report of a two-car crash at Port Bannatyne, Isle of Bute. Two women, aged 35 and 31, were taken to Rothesay Victoria Hospital for treatment. A 30-year-old man has been charged in connection with a driving offence, and a report will be sent to the Procurator Fiscal.”
