Ride girl family’s torment
Family’s ‘in bits’ over park tragedy
A HEARTBROKEN family have paid tribute to their “beautiful little girl” who died on a theme park white water ride.
Their world was torn apart by losing Evha Jannath, 11, who was “full of love and always smiling”.
CLASS TRIP HORROR THE family of tragic Evha Jannath were “in bits” last night.
Evha, 11, fell off a theme park boat and drowned. She was on the Splash Canyon rapids ride during a school trip to Drayton Manor, Staffs. In a statement, her family said: “Our world was torn apart by the news that our daughter and sister Evha, had lost her life in tragic circumstances. “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.” Floral tributes have been left outside the home she shared with her mother in Leicester. Neighbours said last night they could hear the girl’s sobbing mum Nurun Nahar, 34, crying through the walls. Amina Sheik, 34, who lives next door, said: “Nurun is really, really struggling bless her. She is in pieces.” Jameah Girls Academy, the independent Islamic school where Evha was a pupil, was closed yesterday as a mark of respect.
Head teacher Erfana Bora said Evha was a “lovely, sweet-natured girl [who] was loved by everyone at the school”.
Friends say she had been standing up to change seats when she tumbled overboard.
A teenage brother of a pupil in the boat said: “It happened in an instant.”
Shocked
Drayton Manor boss George Bryan looked visibly upset as he read a statement from the park.
He said he was “truly shocked and devastated” by what had happened.
Mum Jessica Boulton, 24, yesterday told how paramedics fought to save the girl.
She was at Birmingham Children’s Hospital when the air ambulance touched down.
Jessica said: “A blonde-haired female paramedic from the hospital literally leapt on top of the trolley – right under the blades of the helicopter – and started chest compressions.”