Three men who died after being trapped in a submerged 4×4 were ‘swept away’ by heavy rain after trying to cross a river, a man who tried to saved them revealed.
The trio were found dead after they crashed into the River Esk in the North York Moors at 11.48am this morning.
Emergency services scrambled to the scene near Glaisdale but when they pulled the vehicle from the waters the three men were found dead inside.
Chris Ford, who lives nearby, said the men were part of an off-roading group when they crossed a ford on Rake Lane.
He claims the river, swollen by heavy rain, swept them away and carried them around 400 yards downstream.
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.
Three men were found dead after their 4×4 crashed into the River Esk in the North York Moors. Pictured: Emergency services at the scene
Emergency services scrambled to the scene near Glaisdale at 11:48am today following reports of a serious incident involving a vehicle
He and two others used tractors to pull the 4×4 on to the riverbank, he said.
Mr Ford said: ‘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.’
A 4×4 was recovered from the river by the fire service just after 3pm and the three men found inside had died, North Yorkshire Police said.
Three men inside the 4×4 died while another man who attempted to help them was pulled to safety from the river at around 12:10pm. He has been receiving medical treatment.
The force added that next of kin are currently being informed about the tragic incident and specialist support is being provided.
Two other locals, Rosie and Andrew Dale, said they were with Mr Ford when he got the call to help.
Three men have been found dead after their 4×4 crashed into the River Esk (pictured) in the North York Moors
A 4×4 was recovered from the river by the fire service just after 3pm and the three men found inside had died, North Yorkshire Police said
They said they saw several 4×4 vehicles pass their home in the direction of the ford shortly before the incident.
Mrs Dale said ‘nobody local’ would attempt to cross the ford in the current conditions.
The area is popular with 4×4 drivers, she said, adding: ‘In the summer you get 10 of them at a time.’
Ambulance, partner agencies and police teams also attended the scene, along with air support.
More information is expected to be released in ‘due course’, with witnesses urged to call North Yorkshire Police on 101, option 4, quoting reference NYP-28122023-0146.
The tragedy comes after heavy rain brought by Storm Gerrit has caused flooding on roads around the River Esk.
A car also got stuck in flood water nearby at Houlsyke at 12:49pm today and another at Kirby Wiske in Hambleton at 2.35pm.
Police said that the occupants of both vehicles were brought to safety.
Further south, the city of York has been flooded after the River Ouse broke its banks.
Waters in the river rose to 3.6 metres following intense downpours in the area. There are also several flood warnings, indicating where flooding is expected, in place in Yorkshire.
The tragedy comes after heavy rain brought by Storm Gerrit has caused flooding in the city of York today
North Yorkshire Police warned: ‘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.
‘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.
‘Please avoid driving through any kind of standing or moving flood water if you possibly can.’