A university student who drowned in a freezing river remained afloat for 20 minutes, shouting for help that did not arrive, an inquest has heard. Evan D'Andilly, 19, entered the River Ouse in York at approximately 3:03 a.m. on March 5, 2025, after a night out with friends. His body was discovered the following morning.
Police officers arrived at the riverbank within three minutes of D'Andilly entering the water. CCTV footage presented to the court showed him waving his arms and calling for assistance as officers directed torches toward him. D'Andilly, a business management student at the University of York, was four days shy of his 20th birthday at the time of his death.
His mother, Lorraine D'Andilly, stated that the available riverside rescue equipment, consisting of 18-meter reach poles and 20-meter throw lines, would not have been long enough to reach her son, thus diminishing his chance of survival.
York fire crews were notified of the incident at 3:09 a.m., six minutes after D'Andilly entered the water. Fire appliances from Acomb and York arrived between 3:14 a.m. and 3:18 a.m. However, the fire service's rescue boat was located in Selby, approximately 14 miles away, and did not reach the scene until 3:37 a.m., 14 minutes after the last sighting of D'Andilly.
The volunteer-run York Rescue Boat, moored nearby and capable of immediate water rescue, was not immediately summoned, according to Ms. D'Andilly. Police requested the rescue boat at 3:10 a.m., and it arrived at 3:22 a.m., just one minute before D'Andilly was last seen above water.
PC Grace Sylvester, who shouted advice to D'Andilly as he struggled in the water, was heard on bodycam footage questioning the delay in the rescue boat's arrival. She noted that she and other officers wished they had immediate access to the York Rescue Boat, which was present at the scene.
When questioned about the suitability of the rescue equipment, the officer indicated that it had not always been effective. Sergeant Daniel Stubbs, the acting police inspector on duty, confirmed that both the York Rescue Boat and the fire service's vessel had been requested. However, he admitted to being unaware that the fire service's boat was not stationed in York.
Ms. D'Andilly raised concerns about why the York Rescue Boat was not called by the fire service immediately upon notification, instead waiting until D'Andilly had been in the water for 10 minutes. She asserted that her son had fought to stay afloat for an additional 10 minutes, thereby extending the window for a potential rescue.
Ben Illsley, director of operational support and assurance for North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, informed the inquest that there are no current plans to relocate the fire service's rescue boat from Selby to York within the next four years. He added that training staff to operate the boat if it were moved would take one to two years.
Evan D'Andilly was described by his family as a kind, gentle, and fun-loving individual. His father, Gordon D'Andilly, stated that his son was "full of life" and got along well with everyone. The inquest also heard that Evan had struggled with mental health and had a previous suicide attempt, though his father noted that Evan had been in a "good place" in the week prior to his death.
A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police expressed that the death was tragic and offered condolences to the family and friends. The police will fully support the inquest and await its conclusion before making further comments.
The inquest is ongoing.