13-Year-Old Girl Dies After Going Missing In River Near North Yorkshire Beauty Spot

by HEDNEWS on June 1, 2026

13-Year-Old Girl Dies After Going Missing in River Near North Yorkshire Beauty Spot A 13-year-old girl has died after going missing in the River Wharfe near the village of Burnsall in the Yorkshire Dales, North Yorkshire Police have confirmed. The incident happened on Sunday evening and prompted a major emergency response involving police, fire crews, paramedics, rescue teams and an air ambulance.

The teenager was reported missing in the river at around 6:30pm near Burnsall, a popular beauty spot in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Emergency services launched an extensive search of the area after concerns were raised that she had entered the water and failed to resurface. Rescue teams later located the girl and pulled her from the river. She was airlifted to hospital for urgent treatment, but despite the efforts of medical staff and members of the public who assisted at the scene, she later died.Police said the girl’s family have been informed and are receiving support from specially trained officers. Formal identification procedures are expected to take place, while inquiries into the circumstances surrounding the incident continue. Authorities have indicated that the death is not being treated as suspicious.The tragedy comes during a period of unusually warm weather across the UK, with emergency services and water safety organisations repeatedly warning about the dangers of swimming in rivers, lakes and reservoirs. Experts note that even when air temperatures are high, water temperatures can remain dangerously cold, increasing the risk of cold-water shock and drowning. The River Wharfe, which runs through the Yorkshire Dales, attracts thousands of visitors each year. However, sections of the river are known for strong currents, sudden drops and unpredictable conditions that can pose risks to swimmers. The girl’s death is the latest in a series of water-related tragedies reported across the UK during the recent spell of hot weather, prompting renewed calls for caution around open water.