Incident in Solihull

[YoSofi]

Comments on news reports are saying that five children/young teens have gone through ice into a lake and are in a critical condition.

Really hope that all involved make a full recovery

I said that very quote to my dad earlier tonight when we were talking about this incident. In my case I mentioned going down a hill on a bike with no brakes (as much as I tried I couldn’t stop) before going straight out onto the main road and flying into the hedge on the other side. Had a car crossed my path I wouldn’t be typing this right now.

It only takes one bad decision and that could be it, and when you are young you are more prone to making them. Just hope these kids comes through ok. And well done to the bystanders and rescue services.

The kids were around 9. You can't go everywhere with a 9 year old. There is. balance that needs to be struck. Parents probably thought they are around the corner snowball fighting.
Kids that are never allowed to be on their own do not grow into healthy adults

'In a way society is at fault with a lot of this'.

No it's not.

Don't be ridiculous.

It's just a tragedy that happens occasionally.

Kids like ice.

Kids fell through ice.

It's horrible but not singular.

It's happened before and it will happen again sadly.

Kids do stupid things.

@Youngatheart00 being Canada, there are copious leisure centres for ice skating (and hockey) plus most towns and cities have boarded rinks which they flood at this time of year.

The folks who go out on the lakes with their fishing tents/huts etc take it very seriously. They all carry ice augers (makes a hole in the ice to fish through) and it’s a good means of establishing depth. Folks still get it wrong though.

I can’t even begin to imagine the horror the parents are going through. So sad.

I woke up this morning with this incident still on my mind. Those emergency services still searching, even in the cold and dark. Utmost respect.

"Nowadays, show something like that and every kids parents will rock up at school the next morning demanding heads roll"

Don't be so ridiculous @HoppingPavlova what a load of tosh.

Ironic when you're joining in with those scratching around to look for who you might "blame". You've decided to blame "modern society" and parents of "little Johnny" for a tragic accident. These accidents happened in the 70s and they happen now. Sad then, sad now. It really is that simple.

It's not dissimilar to the accidents that happen every year in the summer when children drown in lakes, nearly always young teen boys, news hasn't said a about these children but almost certainly they will be young boys

Just caught up with this story this morning. Made me feel sick to my stomach. The thought of the brave friends going in to rescue their mates and then this. Don't know if I'd have been that brave. These kids are little heroes imo. No one should be saying anything bad about them. I don't pray and not religious but I will pray that they are all ok even if they are the sheer trauma of what has happened will never leave them. Thought with their parents 2 weeks before Xmas too. Utterly horrific. Sigh

It was the first thing I thought of this morning too. I didn’t sleep well last night either.

News has updated to say the ongoing search is for two children. There are just no words really, it’s heartbreaking.

I have a 12 year old boy, he knows the dangers but I imagine seeing an ice covered lake with his friends would cause him such excitement he would soon forget all warnings.

There but for the grace of god, as another poster said.

Peer pressure could have played a part as well. Daring each other/taking the mick out of anyone not wanting to join in etc. It can be a powerful, dangerous thing, and a form of bullying at times.

For goodness sake @Prescottdanni123, now you're speculating that they could've been bullied in?

Shameful

Those emergency services still searching, even in the cold and dark. Utmost respect

I was struck by that. Even though they’re now looking for bodies.

The poor families.

I taught at a school just down the road from Babbs Mill for years - it's a really close community and will be devastating for so many people. Hoping for some positive news and will be thinking of all of the families I know there today.

Its Kingshurst, 3 year olds roam the streets around there unaccompanied.

I grew up opposite the lake, swam in it in summer etc, it wasn’t safe 40 years ago.

Such a terrible thing to happen. It must be so distressing for all involved. Hoping for some positive news soon.

FWIW, I grew up in Finland where everyone goes on frozen lakes to walk, ski, fish or even drive or use snowmobiles. This only takes place when the ice has been well established and really thick, and most people know when not to go on the ice. Sometimes unfortunate or foolish walkers or ice fishers end up going through the ice, but luckily most of them can be rescued (I'm basing this on my own experiences and news reports I've read over the years). Finnish kids are shown this scary TV animation about the dangers of thin ice every day during the autumn and spring seasons when the ice is potentially dangerous. The animation has been traumatising kids since the 80s but at least in my circle of friends we never went on the ice without our parents because we knew what could happen. The animation also shows how to get out of the ice or rescue your friend if needed, which seems quite useful thinking about it now.

Obviously this is in a cold country where frozen lakes are part of the everyday life in the winter. I live in England now and I hadn't really thought about warning DC about the dangers of ice because we don't usually get it here. I noticed that the river near us was getting a bit frozen on Friday and gave DC a brief talk about never going on frozen rivers and only to go on a frozen lake once an adult has checked the ice.

I really hope for the best possible outcome for those poor kids.

I felt sick when I read about this last night. It’s a truly, truly heartbreaking tragedy. And a tragedy is what it is. No need to play the blame game. No need to finger point. It sounds like a very tragic accident. 6(?) boys of around 11 years old who would have woken up yesterday morning and whose hearts would have no doubt leapt when they looked out and saw snow. I remember those feelings. Rushing to get dressed, to knock for friends on my estate and to spend a full day out playing in the snow, throwing things on the ice. Not a care in the world. I’m sure it was the same for them. The innocence of childhood. Unfortunately it ended so so badly. No one has been ‘dumb’, no one has been ‘thick’. It sounds like a close knit community where children still play out together. Their community will be in so much pain now. What their parents must be going through is just unimaginable. It’s not gossiping to have empathy with the awful situation these poor people find themselves in. It’s human nature, because as someone else said ‘there but for the grace of god go i’. There’s no need to bicker about blame on this thread, let’s all just be grateful for what we are still lucky to have, and if it’s your thing, send up a prayer for these poor families, because God knows they are going to need it. Stay safe today everyone x

It's just awful, those poor families. I can't stop thinking about it. The 2 they were still searching for is absolutely heartbreaking. 😥

absolutely dreadful and my heart goes out to all of those who tried to help and put themselves in danger (think the press are reporting a dog walker tried to help and a policeman who ended up in hospital himself)

So sad, I do agree with others that it seems in a way we have regressed as a country with safety messaging for children (which is important and often more effective coming from someone other than a parent)- but that's a lesson to take on board going forward and not to taint this tragedy, which is what it is. I certainly also did some stupid things as a child which I look back on now and am just flabbergasted that I was so reckless.

We don't know what happened and speculation is in poor taste and unhelpful.

Yet here you are @Blocked ...

This is probably the most sensible and compassionate post on this thread. Well said.

They definitely do, but their ice is thick enough. In the UK, its been below freezing for a short period, but nowhere near long enough or cold enough to generate the thickness of ice needed.

FTY765 · Yesterday 23:29

I feel like we should have some sort of public education campaign over the natural dangers in this country (swimming in open waters, iced over rivers/lakes, caves, quarries etc etc). So many people are not aware of the dangers.

When I was in junior school, the headmaster used to warn us about not going onto frozen ponds. Does this not happen any more? This was the 70s and early 80s. I don't recall any incidents, which may have led to the talks, just that he gave them.

Some of us, who grew up on / around farms, got gruesome safety films, warning of the dangers of walking on crusted slurry pits, not to drink things in bottles found in barns, not to climb on equipment etc.