Grieving dad calls for more rescue resources in York after son's death
19-year-old Evan Geoffrey d’Andilly drowned in the River Ouse last year
Gordon d’Andilly, grieving father of 19-year-old Evan d’Andilly, who died last year after entering the River Ouse following a night out, is urging for more water rescue resources in York, including a dedicated fire service rescue boat.
Despite the charity York Rescue Boat working with the fire service, d’Andilly believes enhanced provisions could help prevent future incidents.
"York is an issue, there is a large University population, they are still children, that's a difficult thing to live with."
The charity did launch but were unable to find Evan before he disappeared under the water.
No evidence indicated that Evan's previous mental health issues or the fact he had been three times over the drink-drive limit influenced his decision to enter the water.
The inquest in Northallerton heard that police and firefighters on the scene did all they could with available equipment, but Evan’s position in the River meant throw lines couldn't reach him.
What do emergency services say?
In a statement North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service say: "Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Evan D'Andilly following the conclusion of the inquest into his death. We recognise the profound loss they have suffered and the impact this tragedy has had on those who responded and on the wider community.
We remain committed to working with our partners to learn from incidents, reduce risk and help keep people safe around North Yorkshire and York's rivers and waterways. Water safety is a shared responsibility, and alongside ongoing prevention campaigns and community education, we continue to strengthen our response capability. North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service operates six Swift Water Rescue stations and a powered rescue boat based in Selby, with resources positioned across the county to respond to flooding and water rescue emergencies.
In York, we have recently enhanced our provision through additional bankside extended pole and reach lines and the imminent rollout of Fast Rescue Deployment Devices (FReDs) to York and Acomb stations. Together with the specialist capabilities provided by York Rescue Boat in conjunction with the Service, these improvements strengthen the response available along the city's waterways."
A North Yorkshire Police spokesperson said:
“First and foremost, our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Evan d’Andilly.
“The tragic death of Evan is felt deeply by all our officers and staff who, under extremely difficult circumstances, tried to save him.
“The findings of the inquest will be carefully reviewed by all the emergency services and partner agencies involved in the response.”