Drayton Manor theme park operator will be prosecuted over the death of 11-year-old Evha Jannath

The operator of Drayton Manor theme park will be prosecuted under health and safety law over the death of 11-year-old Evha Jannath, the Health and Safety Executive said.

Evha died after falling from the Splash Canyon water ride at the Staffordshire attraction in 2017.

The theme park will face a charge under Section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act.    

The 11-year-old had been on a school trip when she plunged from the six seater ride and was swept away at the Staffordshire attraction on May 9, 2017.

Evha, from Leicester, was airlifted to Birmingham Children’s Hospital after being pulled from the water by theme park staff but was pronounced dead on arrival.

A post mortem originally revealed she died as a result of catastrophic chest injuries but a forensic pathologist later concluded she had drowned.  

A HSE statement on Thursday said: ‘A Health and Safety Executive prosecution is being brought following the death of an 11-year-old girl at Drayton Manor theme park.

A HSE statement on Thursday said: ‘A Health and Safety Executive prosecution is being brought following the death of an 11-year-old girl at Drayton Manor theme park. Aerial view of emergency services at the Splash Canyon ride at Drayton Manor theme park, near Tamworth, Staffordshire on May 9 2017

‘The criminal proceedings have not yet commenced, because an inquest into Evha’s death, due to be heard in November, needs to take place first,’ a HSE statement said on Thursday

Evha, was one of a party of children on a school trip to the park from Jameah Girls Academy in Leicester (stock picture of the Splash Canyon Ride at Drayton Manor Theme Park)

‘On 9 May 2017, Evha Jannath died after falling from the park’s Splash Canyon water ride.

‘The criminal proceedings have not yet commenced, because an inquest into Evha’s death, due to be heard in November, needs to take place first.’  

Evha, was one of a party of children on a school trip to the park from Jameah Girls Academy in Leicester.

She died at Birmingham Children’s Hospital after being rescued from the water by theme park staff.  

Parents Suable and Nuran Jannath, had recently moved to the area from Hertfordshire. They released a statement the day following their daughter’s death.

‘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,’ they said in statement.

‘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’.