Russian ombudsman set to send teen survivors in Karelia storm on...seaside holidays

The holidays at the Black Sea might be organized for a group of Russian children who survived in a storm on Lake Syamozero in Karelia on June 18, Pavel Astakhov, Children’s Rights Commissioner for the President of the Russian Federation, said on Twitter.

According to the top official, the trip and stay of the children and their parents will be funded from federal budget resources.

At the same time, the teenagers suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder after the incident; most being afraid of water, Russian independent media report.

It is still unknown whether the Russian authorities have accepted his proposal

Pavel Astakhov gained notoriety after he visited some teen survivors  in the hospital  last week. Putin’s official started a conversation with the words “Well, how was your swimming?”

Later Astakhov stated that his words were taken out of context. According to the ombudsman, he just wanted to help investigators gather important information about the tragedy.

A group of children from Moscow and St. Petersburg who were staying in a holiday colony on Lake Syamozero (northern Russia) went camping in spite of a storm warning. The party had 47 adolescents and four accompanying adults who ignored the worsening weather conditions. As a result, 14 children are dead – some drowned, some died from hypothermia in the icy water. 

belsat.eu