Girl who died after incident at Drayton Manor Theme park named as Evha Jannath, 11

AN 11-year-old girl who died at the Drayton Manor Theme Park has been named by police.

Evha Jannath, from Leicester, fell out of a boat on the Splash Canyon ride during a school trip to the Tamworth-based theme park on Tuesday.

Staffordshire Police said Evha was recovered from the water and received advanced life support from ambulance crews before she was flown to Birmingham Children’s Hospital where she later died.

Drayton Manor Theme Park will remain shut on Wednesday as a mark of respect, and while investigators from the Health and Safety Executive continue their work.

The school, an integrated Islamic day school for girls, will also remain closed for the day.
According to one parent at the Jameah Academy, the girl fell from one of the boats when it hit a rock.

She told the Mail Online: “When the girl got up to change seats just then it hit a rock and she got knocked out of the boat and fell in the water and the water currents dragged her in.”

The parent, who asked not to be named, said the girl disappeared from view after falling from the ride.

In a statement her school said it was providing “support to pupils and staff” and asked that the girl’s family and the school community were given “time to grieve”.

Drayton Manor’s company director George Bryan, whose grandfather opened the park in the 1950s, said they were “truly shocked and devastated” by the death.

He appeared shaken as he read a statement at the park on Tuesday afternoon in which he said specially-trained staff were on the scene “immediately” after the alarm was raised.

West Midlands Ambulance Service said it was called to Drayton Manor Theme Park at 2.18pm and sent paramedics by land and air to the site, with the first crews arriving within seven minutes.

A spokesman said crews discovered a girl “with serious injuries who had been rescued from the water by park staff” on arrival.

After receiving advanced life support she was flown to Birmingham Children’s Hospital with a doctor continuing treatment en route.

“Unfortunately, shortly after arrival at hospital it became apparent nothing could be done to save her and she was confirmed deceased,” the spokesman said.

The ride, which opened in 1993, and features up to 21 boats each with a capacity of six people, was closed following the incident.

Offering a “a wild ride” with “fast-flowing rapids”, riders must be at least 0.9m (3ft) tall, although those under 1.1m must be accompanied by an adult.

A spokesman for the HSE said on Tuesday: “The HSE has been made aware of today’s incident at Drayton Manor and is making initial inquiries along with emergency services.”

Drayton Manor officials said on Facebook on Tuesday: “The HSE have not asked us to close the park tomorrow.

“The decision has come from the team and the Bryan family as a mark of respect to the girl’s family.”

Jameah Academy said in a statement of “deepest sadness” on its website: “As a school community we are deeply shocked and our thoughts are with our pupil’s family and friends.

“The school will ensure specially trained staff are in school to provide our pupils and staff support at this difficult time. We would request that the family and the school community are given time to grieve.

“Please be assured that the safety and wellbeing of our pupils is our foremost priority. We are liaising with the relevant authorities and therefore we are unable to provide any further information at this time.”