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Three boys aged eight, 10 and 11 have died after falling into an icy lake in Solihull, while a fourth boy aged six is still fighting for his life, police confirmed today.
The four youngsters were taken to hospital in a critical condition after suffering cardiac arrests having fallen through ice at Babbs Mill Park at 2.30pm yesterday.
Police said searches of the lake are continuing to establish whether anyone else fell into the water, after reports that as many as six children may have been involved.
Firefighters have described the continuing searches as a ‘recovery rather than a rescue’.
Police officers at Babbs Mill Park in Solihull this morning as emergency services continue to search the lake. Initial reports suggested up to six children had been involved
Two women lay flowers this morning near to the scene in Babbs Mill Park in Kingshurst
Did you witness the incident? Email rory.tingle@mailonline.co.uk
Nearby St Anthony’s primary school announced it had closed today, and called for people to ‘keep those affected in your prayers’.
Specialist police divers were seen entering the water under torchlight late yesterday.
Two children – said to be aged under 12 – had been playing on the ice when it cracked beneath them.
This prompted their friends to run onto the lake and try and help them only to get into trouble themselves, witnesses said.
Temperatures are thought to have plunged to 1C (34F) in the area at the time of the incident, falling to -3C (26F) overnight.
BEFORE THE INCIDENT: The frozen lake at Babbs Mill Park in Solihull earlier yesterday
Police officers at the scene this morning, where a ‘recovery’ operation continues
At a press conference yesterday night, emergency services confirmed four children were fighting for their lives in hospital
West Midland Fire Service chief Richard Stanton said last night the it was now a ‘recovery rather than rescue’ mission
He said: ‘When the fire service arrived on scene we were made aware that there were up to six people potentially in the water’
Nearby St Anthony’s primary school announced it had closed today, and called for people to ‘keep those affected in your prayers’
Eyewitnesses described seeing responders ‘smashing through’ the ice on the lake’s surface as those first on the scene swam out into the water to rescue the nearest child.
Meriden MP Saqib Bhatti also visited the scene at Babbs Mill lake today, where he praised emergency services for their heroic efforts to pull four children from the water.
The MP told reporters: ‘Clearly there is one officer who has mild hypothermia. In these conditions not to worry about your own safety and just to go after those children is heroic.
‘The (search) operation went on all night in these really tough conditions. The whole community will be feeling the pain of this. I just hope we get some good news.’
Solihull Council Ian Courts and deputy leader Karen Grinsell said: ‘This is just about as bad as it gets… a dreadful situation. We are completely stunned at what’s happened.
‘We are still awaiting more news. Clearly our thoughts and prayers have to be with the families in this situation. I can hardly imagine what the families are going through.’
Police officers at the scene in Babbs Mill Park in Kingshurst, Solihull this morning
Emergency services continue to search the lake after reports suggested up to six children may have been on the lake when the ice fell through
Temperatures in Solihull were below freezing this morning, complicating the rescue efforts
Emergency workers took to the lake yesterday evening in an effort to find two children, believed to be under the age of 12, who are missing and feared dead
Emergency services were seen carrying equipment to and from the lake as they combat freezing temperatures with the operation said to be at the recovery stage, rather than rescue, meaning the children are feared dead
Two of the boys were taken to Birmingham Children’s Hospital while the other two were taken to Birmingham Heartlands Hospital. No further updates on their condition were given.
One police officer was also taken to hospital with a mild case of hypothermia, but is expected to make a full recovery.
West Midlands Police said today: ‘Three boys have tragically died after falling into the lake at Babbs Mill Park in Solihull yesterday afternoon.
‘The boys, aged 11, 10 and eight, were rushed to hospital after being pulled from the water.
‘Sadly, they could not be revived and our thoughts are with their family and friends at this deeply devastating time. We’ll have specialist officers offering them as much support as we can. A fourth boy, aged six, remains in a critical condition in hospital.
‘We’ve been working alongside colleagues from the fire and ambulance services as we do all we can to support those involved.
‘Searches of the lake are continuing as we seek to establish exactly what happened and if anyone else fell into the water.
‘We understand how distressing this is for the families and the wider community. We would ask people to not speculate or share any video footage at this stage.’
A search diver is seen rising from the water of the Babbs Mill Lake. Nottinghamshire Police’s Underwater and Specialist Search Unit has been called to help the operation
A drone can be seen hovering above rescuers to shine a light for their search efforts
Police divers from the the Underwater and Specialist Search Unit have been seen entering the water at Babbs Mill Lake
A huge number of paramedics, police officers and firefighters helped with efforts as boats entered and exited the lake
Emergency services were deployed after people reportedly fell through the frozen lake’s service
Sophie, 23, a mental health support worker at the scene yesterday evening, said: ‘I got here with my friends at 2.45pm. There were a group of youngsters playing near the lake which was completely iced over.
‘Two of them had gone onto the lake and people were shouting at them that it wasn’t safe.
‘Then the ice cracked and the leg of one of the boys went in. The other three on the bank then went in to help and soon they were all in trouble.’
She claimed that one of the boys, an eight-year-old, had since died but the emergency services refused to comment on those reports during a press conference last night.
‘He’s the nephew of a friend of mine,’ she said. ‘He had been unresponsive for two hours and they have confirmed now that he has passed away.’
Describing the rescue efforts, Sophie said she saw four children being pulled from the icy water and transferred to waiting ambulances.
‘They stretchered them up the bank to the ambulances waiting. They were giving them CPR as they were moving.’
There were at least 10 fire engines and 10 police cars parked on one street alone, the nearest street to the lake.
Diving teams were pictured carrying oxygen tanks to search underneath the water
Rescue teams are using specialist equipment at the scene to safely search the lake into the night
Emergency crews at Babbs Mill Lake, Kingshurst, Solihull, West Midlands
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