Overview
- Palwasha Akbar, a 13-year-old Year 9 pupil from Bradford, was rescued from the River Wharfe and airlifted to hospital after being reported missing on Sunday, May 31, but later died.
- Her family issued a statement via North Yorkshire Police describing the loss as an "immeasurable void" and asking for privacy as they grieve.
- Bronte Girls' Secondary Academy paid tribute to Palwasha as a high-achieving and compassionate student and a teacher, Olivia Wagstaff, published a commemorative poem.
- The family has set up a GoFundMe to honour her memory and raise money for causes that reflect her values, with close to £2,000 reported raised so far.
- Emergency services and campaigners have used the case to repeat warnings about the risks of swimming in rivers during the recent heatwave, citing multiple recent open-water deaths and urging young people to stay away from open water.