CNN’s ‘New Day’ Incorrectly Reports Pele Death on Twitter

CNN’s New Day morning show apologized for a breaking news tweet sent to its 55,000 followers on Friday that incorrectly stated that Brazilian soccer legend Pele had died at age 74.

The tweet was deleted (not before Circa editor-in-chief Anthony De Rosa flagged the item, seen below) and the account subsequently sent two tweets noting that Pele’s rep had stated that he was “alive and very well.”

A CNN spokesperson tells THR that the breaking news tweet was not the result of a hack. 

CNN inaccurately declares Brazilian soccer legend Pele dead pic.twitter.com/H2tjM36xnq

— Anthony De Rosa (@AntDeRosa) March 28, 2014

#Pele representative tells CNN he is alive and very well.

— New Day (@NewDay) March 28, 2014

We deleted an earlier and erroneous tweet on this topic. We regret the error and thank our followers for the feedback.

— New Day (@NewDay) March 28, 2014