10yo Jack Johnson has been named as one of the victims of the UK frozen lake tragedy.
10yo Jack Johnson has been named as one of the victims of the UK frozen lake tragedy.
Three young boys who fell through ice covering a lake in central England have died and a fourth remains in hospital as weather forecasters issued severe weather warnings for large parts of the United Kingdom.
Police in full uniform jumped into the water and broke through the ice using theirbare hands to pull the boys, ages 8, 10 and 11, from the icy waters Sunday afternoon and rushed them to the hospital in the West Midlands, about 160km north of London. But they could not be revived after suffering cardiac arrest.
One of the boys who died was 10-year-old Jack Johnson who neighbours said had been playing on the ice, The Daily Mail reported.
A neighbour said: “Jack and the other lads saw that it had been snowing from the flats and wanted to go and play.
“They rushed across to the park and were playing on top of the frozen lake, when the ice cracked.
“It’s so tragic. Jack was a lovely lad. I know his dad Kirk. He is devastated. My heart goes out to him.”
Police officers at the scene in Babbs Mill Park where four children were pulled from an icy lake in Kingshurst, Solihull, England. Photo / AP
The fourth child, who is 6, remains in critical condition. Emergency workers searched through the night for two other children who were reportedly with the group, though it is uncertain whether there were additional victims of the tragedy.
“It’s important to stress ... that we’ve had no contact from anybody suggesting that there’s anybody else missing but, until we’re 100 per cent certain, we will be carrying on searches throughout the course of today,″ West Midlands Police Superintendent Richard Harris said.
People walk through a snow-covered Parliament Square in London. Photo / Alberto Pezzali, AP
The news came as the Met Office, Britain’s national weather service, issued severe weather alerts for large parts of the country. Roads in eastern and southeastern England were among the most affected. Some travellers were stuck for hours due to the closure of the UK’s busiest highway, the M25, which circles greater London.
Gatwick and Stansted airports warned of flight delays on Monday, and London City Airport said it was experiencing “some disruption” because aircraft were out of position after flight cancellations on Sunday night.
The country recorded its coldest night of the year so far in northern Scotland at -15.7C.
Snow-covered Wanstead Flats, in London. Photo / Alberto Pezzali, AP
“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,″ West Midlands Fire Service area commander Richard Stanton said. “Yesterday’s incident is a stark reminder to us all of the dangers of open water, especially during the winter months.″
