Witnesses said the children were playing on the ice of a frozen lake when they fell into the water. The victims were removed from the icy water by the emergency services and immediately resuscitated. They have been taken to two different hospitals in Birmingham in critical condition. The ages of the children have not been disclosed. It is also unclear how long they have been in the water exactly.
By the time firefighters arrived on the scene, several police officers and bystanders were already in the water trying to reach the children, West Midlands Fire Service’s Richard Stanton said. One officer suffered mild hypothermia and was taken to hospital for treatment, Sky News reports.
There may be more victims to regret, since the emergency services were told on arrival that a total of six people had ended up in the water. That is why the search continues in the lake. However, given the temperature of the water, the age of the possible victims and the time that has now passed, it is no longer a rescue operation, but a search for bodies, said a fire service representative.