A devastated father has described his 'agony' after his teenage daughter drowned in a 'terrible accident' during what was meant to be a joyful birthday celebration. Thirteen-year-old Palwasha Akbar was playing in the River Wharfe at Burnsall, North Yorkshire, on May 31st when she got into difficulty. Despite being rescued, she later died in hospital, becoming one of 19 victims of water-related deaths during a week-long 'catastrophic' heatwave in May.
Birthday turns to tragedy
Palwasha's father, Irshad Akbar, told the BBC that his daughter, who was due to turn 14 the day after she died, was a 'God-gifted child'. 'We went there to celebrate her birthday, and her birthday turned into a death day. It is really shocking,' he said. The family had gone to the popular rural spot for a riverside barbecue, and the children were playing in a shallow area to cool off. However, around 6.30pm, as the family prepared to leave, Palwasha, her younger sister, and a niece went for a walk with their mother. The mother tragically lost sight of the girls in a crowd, and within minutes they had entered deeper water.
'They were not supposed to go to the water at this time, we know there is deep water,' Mr Akbar told the BBC. Both Palwasha and her 11-year-old sister got into difficulty, but the younger girl was pulled to safety by a member of the public. Palwasha was rescued but later pronounced dead in hospital.
Agony and loss
Irshad described the incident as a 'terrible accident' and said the family is struggling to cope. 'It's a really tough and difficult time. We are not able to manage it yet. We are missing her. We are going through agony,' he said. He described Palwasha as a kind and caring 'star pupil' at Bronte Girls' Secondary Academy, who loved school and never missed a day. 'Everyone is crying for her, everybody is missing her, her teachers, friends, cousins, everyone,' he added.
Water safety campaign
The tragic death prompted the Mirror to launch the 'Save Lives for Sam' water safety campaign in partnership with bereaved families and charities including the Royal Life Saving Society UK, RNLI, and RoSpa. Local MP Julian Smith raised the issue in Parliament, noting that Palwasha died 'more or less at the same spot as Azaz Mohmed Chanda, aged 33, from Blackburn' in August 2024. He called on national parks to take responsibility for safety, stating, 'When you've had two of these deaths at the same spot in the last two years that cannot be right.'
Family's plea
Palwasha's family is now fundraising for charitable causes, aiming to create something 'positive and lasting in her name'. Mr Akbar wants to implement safety measures in the area, including life jackets and fences around deep water. 'I want to shield children basically from what happened with us; I don't want anyone to be affected like us,' he said. He urged parents to stay close to their children and be vigilant near water. 'Parents, they have a responsibility, to show them and keep them away from danger,' he added.
