A 13-year-old girl has become the 17th to die in days following water tragedies during the record heatwave in the UK.Sebastian McCormick, Mark Branagan, Eliana Nunes News Reporter and Callum Hoare
20:28, 31 May 2026Updated 04:44, 01 Jun 2026
Emergency services have been seen near the River Wharfe in the Yorkshire Dales(Image: Ben Lack Photography Ltd)
A 13-year-old girl has died after being pulled from a river as Britain’s recent spell of warm weather continues to be linked to a growing number of water tragedies.
The youngster was rescued from the River Wharfe near Burnsall, close to Skipton, on Sunday evening after emergency services were called to reports that she had gone missing in the water.
Despite desperate efforts by members of the public, paramedics and specialist rescue teams, the girl later died in hospital after being airlifted for treatment.
North Yorkshire Police said officers were called to the scene at around 6.30pm. The force confirmed the teenager was recovered from the river after a short search but could not be saved.
A police spokesperson said: “Our thanks go to the members of the public who helped at the scene.”
Her identity has not yet been released.
The heartbreaking incident comes amid growing concerns over water safety following a string of fatalities across the UK during the recent hot weather.
At least 17 people have died in open-water incidents over the past eight days, with many believed to have entered rivers, lakes and the sea as temperatures soared during the record-breaking May heatwave.
In a separate tragedy, a woman in her 60s died after entering the sea to rescue her dog off Rossall Beach in Lancashire. A man, also in his 60s, remains in a critical condition in hospital.
Police said the pair got into difficulty after going into the water to help the animal, which was later recovered safely.
The deaths come after the hottest day ever recorded in May for both England and Wales, with temperatures reaching 35.1C at Kew Gardens and 32.9C in Cardiff.
Forecasters have now warned the weather is set to turn cooler, with thunderstorms expected in parts of the country this week.