Young man found dead in reservoir was Sheffield footballer

A young man who drowned in Ulley Reservoir last week was a Sheffield footballer.
By Claire Lewis
Published 1st Oct 2021, 08:28 BST
Updated 1st Oct 2021, 12:35 BST
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Khizer Hayat, aged 19, died after getting into difficulty in the water at around 6.10pm on Wednesday, September 22.

South Yorkshire Police said the young man ‘got in to difficulty after jumping into the water’.

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Khizer Hayat, a young Sheffield footballer, drowned at Ulley Reservoir last weekKhizer Hayat, a young Sheffield footballer, drowned at Ulley Reservoir last week
Khizer Hayat, a young Sheffield footballer, drowned at Ulley Reservoir last week
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No other circumstances of the tragedy have been released but Khizer’s body was recovered from the water later that night.

Khizer was a member of Darnall Football Academy, where he had played since he was 12 years old.

As a mark of respect to Khizer, teams in the Sheffield & District Junior Sunday Football League are to hold a minute's silence ahead of their games this weekend.

The league said: “The league wishes to express their deepest sympathy to Darnall Football Academy and to Khizer’s family and friends.”

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In May, 16-year-old Sam Haycock, from Rotherham, died after also getting into difficulty in the water at Ulley Reservoir on what was his last day at Oakwood High School, Moorgate.

Safety warnings were issued in the wake of both tragedies.

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Last week, Chief Inspector Mark Goddard, of South Yorkshire Police, said Khizer’s death was a ‘truly tragic loss of life’.

He added: “While I would ask people to avoid speculation as to the circumstances surrounding this tragic incident, I would urge everyone to be mindful of the serious danger posed by swimming in open water.”

Area Manager, Simon Dunker, of South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue, said: “This is a tragic incident, and the thoughts of all at South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue are with this man’s friends and family at this sad time.

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“Unfortunately we have seen far too many people lose their lives in open water this year, and we stand with our police colleagues in urging people to be extremely careful around open water – especially as the nights draw in and temperatures drop colder.”

The emergency services said: “Water might be much deeper and much colder than you expect.

“Even if the weather is warm, cold water can dramatically affect your ability to swim.

“There may be unexpected currents which can pull you under.

“There can be hidden rocks, rubbish or reeds which can cause you to become tangled or cause injury.”