A 13-year-old girl has tragically died after getting into difficulty in the River Wharfe on Sunday evening.
Emergency services were called to the scene near Burnsall, in the Skipton area, at approximately 6:30 PM on Sunday, 31 May 2026, following reports that the teenager was missing in the water.
A short time later, she was rescued from the river and flown to a nearby hospital by air ambulance. Despite the desperate, immediate efforts of bystanders at the scene and medical teams both at the riverbank and in hospital, she was sadly pronounced dead.
Authorities have stated that they are not yet in a position to release the identity of the young girl.
A police spokesperson said:
Our thoughts remain with her family at this very distressing time and we ask members of the public and the media to respect the family’s privacy and allow them to grieve in peace.
Officials also expressed their deep gratitude to the members of the public who stepped forward to assist during the rescue attempt.
