A university student remained afloat for approximately 20 minutes, calling for help that ultimately did not arrive, before he drowned in the River Ouse in York, an inquest was told. Evan D'Andilly, 19, of Scunthorpe, entered the freezing water near Ouse Bridge around 3:03 a.m. on March 5, 2025, following a night out with friends. His body was discovered the following morning.
Police officers were on the riverbank within three minutes of D'Andilly entering the water. CCTV footage presented at the inquest showed him waving his arms and shouting for assistance as officers directed torches toward him. According to his mother, Lorraine D'Andilly, the available riverside rescue equipment, consisting of 18-meter reach poles and 20-meter throw lines, was insufficient to reach her son, thereby diminishing his chances of survival.
Fire crews were alerted to the incident at 3:09 a.m., six minutes after D'Andilly entered the river. 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., well after the student's last sighting. The volunteer-run York Rescue Boat, moored nearby and capable of swift water rescue, was not immediately summoned. Police requested its attendance at 3:10 a.m., and it arrived at 3:22 a.m., just one minute before D'Andilly was last seen.
PC Grace Sylvester, who was present at the scene, could be heard on police bodycam footage questioning the delay in the arrival of a rescue boat, remarking, "It's a city river. Why is it taking this long?" She added that she and other officers "just wished we had access to that" boat, referring to the York Rescue Boat that was nearby.
Sergeant Daniel Stubbs, the acting police inspector on duty, acknowledged that both the York Rescue Boat and the fire service's vessel had been requested. He admitted he was unaware that the fire service's boat was not stationed in York.
Lorraine D'Andilly questioned the protocol for calling the York Rescue Boat, noting it was not summoned until 10 minutes after the fire service was first notified. She stated her son "fought for another 10 minutes" to stay afloat, suggesting a more immediate response could have saved him. "He did everything he could to survive," she said, adding, "I will never understand how a safety protocol can be so flawed."
Ben Illsley, director of operational support and assurance for North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, stated that there are no current plans to relocate the fire service's rescue boat from Selby to York within the next four years. He also indicated that training staff to operate the boat in York would take one to two years if such a move were considered.
Evan D'Andilly was described by his mother as a "kind" and "gentle" individual, whose death she called "incredibly senseless" and a "tragedy." His father, Gordon D'Andilly, characterized his son as "full of life" and someone who "got on with everyone really well." While the inquest heard that Evan had struggled with mental health and had a previous suicide attempt, his father stated that Evan had appeared to be in a "good place" the week prior to his death.
A North Yorkshire Police spokesperson stated that the force's thoughts are with the family and friends of Evan D'Andilly and that they will fully support the inquest. The inquest is ongoing.