Family grieves for ‘beautiful’ Evha after theme park death

The family of an 11-year-old schoolgirl who died at a theme park have said they are “devastated that we will not see our beautiful little girl again”.

Evha Jannath, from Leicester, fell out of a boat on the Splash Canyon ride during a school trip to the Drayton Manor Theme Park in Tamworth 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.

In a statement issued through police, the 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.”

Drayton Manor Theme Park remained shut yesterday as a mark of respect, and to allow investigators from the Health and Safety Executive to continue their work.

Jameah Academy, an integrated Islamic day school for girls, also remained closed for the day, with counselling being offered to pupils affected by the tragedy.

According to one parent at the Jameah Academy, the girl fell from one of the boats when it hit a rock.

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.

Evha Jannath was on a school trip to the theme park.