Pic:Theme park tragedy Evha Jannath, 11
Staff reporter(wp/es):
The family of an 11-year-old girl who died after falling from a theme park water ride while on a school trip today paid tribute to a “quiet and pretty girl”.
Evha Jannath, from Leicester, had celebrated her birthday just four days before tragedy struck, her devastated uncle said.
She is said to have plunged into the water yesterday afternoon as she stood up to change seats on the Splash Canyon ride at Drayton Manor, in Tamworth, Staffordshire.
Evha's parents Suable and Nuran Jannath said in a statement: "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."
The girl, who attended Jameah Girls Academy in Leicester, was then “dragged under the water by the current”, witnesses said.
Uncle Abdul Hadi told the WT: “She is the only daughter of my sister and turned 11 on 5th May, [when it] was her birthday.
“It’s a very difficult time for my sister and my family. She was a very quiet and pretty girl.”
He added: “She is my beloved niece. Please everyone pray for her.”
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 died.
A friend of Evha said the girl had almost missed the day out because she had been ill in the run-up to the trip.
Drayton Manor remained shut today as a mark of respect while investigators from the Health and Safety Executive probed the scene.
The school also remained closed for the day following yesterday’s accident.
Headteacher Erfana Bora said today it had been a "terrible tragedy".
She said: "She was a lovely, sweet-natured girl and she was loved by everyone at the school."
"As a school and as a community, we are trying to make sense of this terrible tragedy," she added.
According to one parent at the Jameah Academy, the girl fell from one of the boats when it hit a rock.
She said: “My daughter said there was four other girls on the same boat with the girl and the teacher’s boat was behind the girls.
“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 kids started screaming and told the staff at the park that their friend has fallen in the water.”
The brother of another pupil in the boat said: “My sister was saying that Eva stood up in the boat and looked like she was moving seats.
“Then she looked back and she was in the water. It happened in an instant.
“For the past few days I don’t think Eva had been going to school because she wasn’t feeling well.”
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.
The ride opened in 1993 and features up to 21 boats, each with a capacity of six people and offers 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.
Jameah Academy said in a statement 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."
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