Girl who died on water park ride remembered as ‘always smiling’

The family of the 11-year-old schoolgirl who was killed after falling from a ride at Drayton Manor theme park have said their “world has been torn apart.”

Evha Jannath died in hospital after plunging into the water on the Splash Canyon ride in front of horrified pals during a school trip.

Her devastated family said: “Yesterday our world was torn apart by the news that our daughter and sister Evha, had lost her life in tragic circumstances, following a school trip to Drayton Manor Park.

“Evha was a beautiful little girl who was full of love and always smiling.

“Words cannot describe the pain and loss we feel, we are devastated that we will not see our beautiful little girl again.

“We ask that you allow us to grieve in private and deal with our loss as a family.”

Visitors described hearing screams after Evha fell from the rapids-style ride into the choppy 5 foot-deep water at the park near Tamworth, United Kingdom yesterday afternoon.

It is believed Evha’s teacher, from Jameah Girls Academy in Leicester, was on the ride with her and four of her classmates at the time.

It is thought she stood up to “swap seats” but toppled over the side as the carriage crashed into waves halfway through the five-minute ride.

Abdul Hadi, believed to be Evha’s uncle, said: “‘She is my beloved niece. Please everyone pray for her.”

In a tragic twist, a friend of Evha’s said she nearly missed the trip because she didn’t have suitable clothes when she arrived at school.

She said Splash Canyon would have been her last ride before the group headed home to Leicester.

The friend told The Telegraph: “Evha came to school but didn’t have the right clothes for the trip so she borrowed some. It meant she could go with everyone else.”

The brother of another pupil in the boat told the Mail Online his little sister came home in floods of tears.

He said Evha had been unwell and off school in the days before the trip.

The teenager, who gave his name as Talha, said: “It happened in an instant. But she wasn’t struggling – just lying motionless in the water. It’s so tragic that she went then didn’t come back. My sister was still in tears when I got home.”

One mom, whose child was on the school trip, said last night: “My daughter said there were four other girls on the same boat with the girl.

“When the girl got up to change seats it hit a rock and she got knocked out of the boat and fell in the water and the water currents dragged her in.

“For that reason they couldn’t see her after she fell in.

“The kids started screaming and told the staff at the park that their friend has fallen in the water.”

It is understood Evha did not drown but may have hit her head as she fell into the water.

Staff dragged her from the rapids as her screaming friends looked on. She was flown to hospital by air ambulance but could not be saved.

Staffordshire Police said: “The family are being supported by specially trained officers.

“We would ask everyone to respect the family’s right to grieve in private during this extremely difficult time.”

An emotional George Bryan, company director of the theme park, said he was “truly shocked and devastated” by Evha’s death.

He said: “It is with great sadness we have to report that a young girl has passed away at Birmingham Children’s Hospital following an incident on one of the park’s water rides.

“Our staff were alerted that an 11-year-old girl had entered the water.

“Trained park staff were immediately on the scene attending to the patient and West Midlands Air Ambulance arrived and airlifted her to the hospital.

“We are all shocked and devastated and our thoughts are with her family and friends at this tremendously difficult time.”

Zainab Mohammad, whose 16-year-old sister went on the trip, said the tight-knit community had been left devastated.

The 26-year-old said: “It’s tragic. We don’t know what the cause is but what we really want is for the family to be able to grieve.

“A family member has been ripped from their family and it’s a big loss. Everybody is in utter shock, there are no words. I couldn’t sleep last night, thinking of this.”

She said her sister was “devastated” by Evha’s death, adding: “She came home, she spoke to mom and dad and she just went upstairs. She didn’t want to talk about it. Nobody knows what’s happened.”

Visitors told how they heard screaming coming from the main entrance of the ride.

Graham Johnstone, 40, said: “The first I knew something was wrong when I saw staff running over to the ride and turn people away.

“Minutes later an air ambulance appeared overhead.

“All you could hear was crying coming from the steps leading to the ride entrance. It was awful.”

Jadey Braham said: “I saw the police and ambulances turning up and then leaving and a few staff members visibly upset.”

Mom Fiona Fletcher, 28, from Burton-upon-Trent, Staffs, said: “The first I heard of it was when a car came charging through clearing the path and then paramedics flew past.

“My kids and I had just got off the carousel ride and all we could hear were sirens. It really scared my daughters.

“The entrance to the Splash Canyon was probably a few hundred yards from where I was standing and there was clearly a huge commotion.

“I saw six fire engines, at least five police cars, four ambulances and two paramedic cars and an air ambulance.

“They put metal barriers up around the whole area so no one could get in.”

The park announced it would be closed today following the death.

A statement read: “Following the tragic events, Drayton Manor Theme Park will be closed on Wednesday May 10th as a mark of respect to the family.”

Students at the victim’s school, which charges up to $2,935-a-year in fees, returned late from their annual trip.

After the death was confirmed, all pupils were called into the gym where the tragic news was broken.

A member of the community said “the whole school” was in tears.

A student from the mosque opposite the school said: “It’s so sad. It happened when she was supposed to be having fun.

“It is awful for the parents – they believed she was enjoying a school trip.”

Police were stationed at the school last night.

The father of another girl on the trip said: “The entire school went to Drayton Manor. All the girls had been looking forward to it.

“My daughter is in the year above the dead girl and is absolutely distraught.

“She was on another ride at the time and realized something was wrong only when she saw other girls in tears.”

A statement on Jameah Academy’s website spoke of “deepest sadness” and confirmed it will remain closed today.

It said: “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.”

The school said it was liaising with authorities over Evha’s death.

A notice on Evha’s school confirmed it would remain closed today

Hundreds gathered for evening prayers at Jame Majid Mosque to pay tribute.

A spokesman for the mosque said: “The young girl’s death has shaken the community and we’re all devastated.

“Obviously our thoughts are with the family after this heartbreaking news. Her family sent her off to school in the morning expecting to hear about her amazing day at Drayton Manor but the unthinkable happened.

“When anyone dies it’s a tragedy but when it’s a child as young as she was it’s just awful.

“All we can do now is pray for her family and hold them in our thoughts.

“It will be a painful wait to hear about exactly what happened following a police investigation because at the moment all we know is she fell, not how or why.”

The Leicester Muslims Association has also paid tribute posting this message on its Facebook page: “An 11 year old girl has passed away, from leicester she studied at jameah girls academy and went on school trip to Drayton manor.

“We humbly request all to make dua for her and may Allah grant her family.”

Visitors on the rapids-style ride were reportedly stuck on it while emergency services attended to the accident.

Emergency services were on the scene within seven minutes.

The Health and Safety Executive has said it is making initial inquiries into the tragedy alongside the emergency services.

Superintendent Carl Ratcliffe, of Staffordshire Police, said: “Specially-trained officers are supporting the girl’s family at this difficult time.

“Our thoughts are very much with her family and friends following this tragic incident.”

The Health and Safety Executive has been informed, cops said.

The theme park website says people on the ride offers people the chance to “swerve around corners, splash through the waves, and get soaked as your boat is swept along our fast-flowing rapids.”

Drayton Manor was founded by George Bryan’s grandfather, who bought up 80 acres of wasteland in 1949.

David Bromilow, Drayton Manor’s operations manager, said: “The health and safety of our visitors is of paramount importance.

“All of our rides comply with health and safety requirements for safe operation, maintenance and inspection processes.

“In addition, each ride has specific risk assessments to ensure that these processes are current.”