Reporter embarrassed by on-air gaffe saying she tried to interview dead man

A reporter has been left red-faced after asserting she tried to reach out to a man who died in a car crash for comment during a live broadcast.

The slip-up occurred as journalist Sara Welch was reporting on a fatal car pursuit in Anaheim, South California, for Los Angeles channel KLTA.

Welch, while standing in front of the Anaheim police station, told viewers the deceased was contacted, but not able to comment on the incident.

“We tried to reach out to the man who died in this pursuit, they were unavailable for comment,” she said.

A shortened clip of the live cross was shared to social media by journalist Yashar Ali on Monday and went viral soon after.

“When I say I nearly passed out from laughing...,” he joked, which was a reaction seemingly shared by several others.

Many empathised for the reporter however, and some even praised her for trying to “go the extra mile”.

Others joked that it “would’ve been weirder if he actually gave a comment”.

“Takes ‘digging for the truth’ to a whole new level,” someone else said.

Welch acknowledged the resurgence of the clip, which she said went to air a year ago, saying she “meant to say family of the man” in a Tweet of her own.

“Hi... ughhh i left the out out the word family... not even realising it and then continued on with they were unavailable... ughhhh no good excuse (I) didn’t even know until after...,” she replied on Twitter.

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