Emergency services were forced to cut through thick ice to recover the body of a woman from a Sheffield pond on Sunday afternoon, in a tragic conclusion to a search for a missing local resident.
Emergency Operation at Arbourthorne Pond
South Yorkshire Police and Yorkshire Ambulance Service were called to Arbourthorne Pond in Sheffield at around 12:20pm on Sunday, January 11. The major response followed reports that a person needed to be pulled from the freezing water.
Witnesses described a significant emergency presence, with multiple police vehicles and an ambulance at the scene near the junction of Eastern Avenue and Errington Way. The operation lasted for several hours as specialist crews worked at the 'well used' pond located in a city park area.
Search for Missing Eileen Ends in Tragedy
In a statement, police confirmed they believe the recovered body is that of Eileen, a woman reported missing from the Arbourthorne area. She was last seen on Errington Avenue between 4pm and 5pm on Saturday, January 10.
Formal identification is yet to be completed, but Eileen's family has been informed of the development and are receiving support from officers. Police thanked the public for their assistance in sharing the earlier appeal for information.
Eyewitness Accounts of the Icy Recovery
One local eyewitness described the sombre scene, stating that emergency personnel had to cut through the ice to reach the person in the water. "They pulled someone out of the pond but I couldn’t see how they had fallen in," the witness said.
The witness also expressed concern about the safety of the frozen pond, noting that children had been seen walking and cycling on the ice in the preceding days. "It’s really sad," they added.
The critical incident involved an ambulance team leader and a critical care paramedic, highlighting the complexity of the recovery operation in hazardous, freezing conditions.
