SWNSThe 11-year-old schoolgirl who died at Drayton Manor theme park yesterday may have fallen into the water as she tried to change seats, it is claimed.
It’s being reported that the girl was riding Splash Canyon, a river rapids ride, with four of her friends when the accident happened.
SWNSAccording to The Mirror online, witnesses saw the girl, who’s not been named yet, attempting to swap seats when the raft hit a rock and she was thrown from the boat.
It’s thought the girl may have hit her head as she fell into the water and she failed to resurface.
SWNSOne witness told the Daily Mail:
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.
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.
Splash Canyon has been closed following an incident this afternoon. Emergency services & our fully trained park staff are assisting. pic.twitter.com/Fkji90Nwjs
— Drayton Manor (@Draytonmanor) May 9, 2017
Her classmates and teachers alerted the park’s staff as quickly as they could but it’s believed the ride had to be drained before the girl could be found.
The girl was rushed to hospital but she unfortunately died of her injuries.
@Draytonmanor pic.twitter.com/QF4UpvHKfI
— Yasmin Braham (@BrahamYasmin) May 9, 2017
A spokesman for West Midlands Ambulance Service said:
On arrival, crews discovered a girl with serious injuries who had been rescued from the water by park staff.
Ambulance staff administered advanced life support before she was flown to Birmingham Children’s Hospital with the doctor continuing treatment en-route.
Unfortunately, shortly after arrival at hospital the girl passed away.
The director of Drayton Manor Theme Park, George Bryan, said he was ‘shocked and devastated’ by the schoolgirl’s death and the Park will be closed on Wednesday as a mark of respect.
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