A police officer tried to punch through the ice while others waded into the freezing waters in a desperate bid to save children who had fallen through into a lake.
Three boys, aged eight, 10 and 11, tragically died after they fell through the ice into a lake in a park near Solihull on Sunday. A fourth boy, aged six, is in a critical condition.
In a press conference today, Superintendent Richard Harris, of West Midlands Police, told reporters that one officer who attended the scene was treated for hypothermia after attempting to punch through the ice while trying to rescue the children from the lake.
Read more: Three children aged 8, 10 and 11 die after being pulled from Babbs Mill Park lake in Solihull
"Police officers did go into into the water. They were joined by other members of the other emergency services. Some of the officers went in waist-deep. One of my officers was trying to punch through the ice to actually rescue the children themselves.
"That officer as a result of that had some mild hypothermia yesterday. I’m pleased to say that he’s now been released from hospital and he’s absolutely fine.”
Police said that they had no contact from anyone indicating that others were missing from the incident at the lake at Babbs Mill Park. However, they have said earches will continue throughout Monday to be "100 per cent certain.
“We have to be 100% certain that there is no one else possibly in the water at this time," Superintendent Harris said.
"It’s important to stress though that we’ve had no contact from anybody suggesting that there’s anybody else missing but until we’re 100% certain we will be carrying on searches throughout the course of today.”
West Midlands Fire Service Area Commander Richard Stanton said the deaths were a "stark reminder" of the dangers of open water. He told a press conference at the scene: “Yesterday’s incident is a stark reminder to us all of the dangers of open water, especially during the winter months.
“Frozen lakes, ponds, canals and reservoirs can look picturesque but they can be lethal and there are no greater warnings of this than yesterday’s tragic events. We would ask parents and carers to remind their children of the dangers of ice and why they must keep off it. Please help us to avoid this from happening again.”
Superintendent Harris added that there were a number of witnesses that officers still want to speak to and appealed for anyone with information to contact the force.
He continued: "Also this time of year, it’s on the run-up to Christmas, so close to the event itself, also adds to that tragedy. But as you can imagine the families are absolutely devastated, which is why we’re doing our very best to support the families.
“And obviously we’re abiding by their requests at the moment as to how much information that the families want us to to make available to the media so we’re doing everything we possibly can to support them.”
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