Glaisdale: Aftermath of fatal 4x4 incident in the River Esk

At 11.48am ton Thursday, (December 28), it was reported that fire, ambulance, partner agencies and police teams were in attendance at a serious incident involving a 4x4 vehicle in the River Esk near Glaisdale on the North York Moors.

The vehicle was recovered from the river by the fire service just after 3pm.

A tractor pulling out the car from the River Esk in Glaisdale (Image: PA MEDIA)

North Yorkshire Police have since confirmed that the three men inside the vehicle have died.

On Friday (December 29), images of the vehicles being recovered from the scene were taken by PA Media - showing the 4x4 being dragged out by a farm vehicle. 

Floral tributes can also be seen on the edge of the water.

Floral tributes near the scene of the incident (Image: Danny Lawson/PA Wire)

Earlier on Friday, a man who tried to save the three men said they were “swept away” as they attempted to cross a river.

Chris Ford, who lives nearby, told the PA news agency the men were part of an off-roading group when they crossed a ford on Rake Lane.

The river, swollen by heavy rain, swept them away and carried them around 400 yards downstream, he said.

The car that was carried down the river (Image: PA MEDIA)

Mr Ford, a firewood salesman, was called to the scene to help recover the vehicle with his tractor and found it fully submerged beneath the water, he said.

He and two others used tractors to pull the 4×4 on to the riverbank, he said.

Police said another man, who attempted to help those trapped in the car, was pulled from the river and needed medical treatment.

People trying to winch the car out of the River Esk (Image: PA MEDIA)

Mr Ford told PA: “There was a ford they were going over and they were swept down 400 yards.

“They were part of an off-road club.

“I went down with my tractor. There was a couple of vehicles – one parked up.

“You couldn’t see the (other) vehicle. It was 3ft beneath the water.

“I helped get it out on to the riverbank with three other tractors.”

In the aftermath of the incident, North Yorkshire Police have warned others about the danger of crossing rivers.

A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said: “Localised conditions across our area are making driving hazardous.

“Roads are particularly badly affected around the River Esk, to the north of the county, as we have seen with the tragic incident near Glaisdale.

“There was another incident at nearby Houlsyke at 12.49pm when a car got stuck in flood water and another at Kirby Wiske in Hambleton at 2.35pm.

“Thankfully, the occupants of both vehicles were brought to safety.

“The key advice is to consider whether your journey is necessary.

“Please avoid driving through any kind of standing or moving flood water if you possibly can.”

Police have also issued guidance on tackling water, which include: 

• Extreme caution required on wet and flooded roads
• Localised conditions across our area are making driving hazardous.
• Roads are particularly badly affected around the River Esk, to the north of the county, as we have seen with the tragic incident near Glaisdale.
• There was another incident at nearby Houlsyke at 12.49pm when a car got stuck in flood water and another at Kirby Wiske in Hambleton at 2.35pm. Thankfully, the occupants of both vehicles were brought to safety.
• The key advice is to consider whether your journey is necessary.
• If you are driving, use your headlights, leave extra space to the car in front, and take it slow and steady.

Witnesses to the incident at Glaisdale are urged to call North Yorkshire Police on 101, option 4, quoting reference NYP-28122023-0146.