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France neighboringTwo scouts fall during a night walk, the camp firm
Adolescents were able to get out of the hospital, but serious shortcomings to safety and hygiene were noted.
The Unit Scouts of France supported the decision to close the camp. Illustration
AFPTwo minors made falls on the night of Sunday to Monday as part of a unit scout camp in France at the Château d’Arlay, about fifteen kilometers north of Lons-le-Saunier.
These falls occurred during a 1.5 -kilometer night walk, organized “in an accidental natural environment (ruins of the fortified castle, cliff, dense vegetation, obstacle on the ground) without supervisory and sufficient security conditions”, specifies the decree of the prefect of Jura, which ordered the interruption of the camp on Tuesday.
One of the young people fell 3 to 4 meters on their backs, requiring “a specialized excavation operation” from firefighters, and the other a fall of 5 to 6 meters on the head, according to the decree. The two adolescents were hospitalized but were able to leave the hospital on Monday, Roman Dupuy, head of the Departmental Youth, Engagement and Sports service, told AFP, who went to the site after being alerted by the firefighters.
The colony hosted 28 young people aged 12 to 15, from Mâcon and Meyzieu, since July 26. She had to end on August 8. The participants, supervised by five young adults, slept in huts on stilts built by themselves 1.5 km from the castle, according to Romain Dupuy.
Dirt and dangerous lights
According to the text of the decree, the state services also noted a “physical exhaustion of minors who hike of 20 to 30 km the previous days”. The decree also evokes “dysfunctions relating to hygiene”, places of life “in advanced state of dirt” as well as “vigil lights on the ground” despite the risk of summer fire.
The organizers had 24 hours to close the camp and the young people all left on Wednesday morning, said Romain Dupuy. This kind of interruption of a holiday camp “is very rare” in the Jura department, he noticed.
In a statement, the Unit Scouts of France, a conservative Catholic organization, said they supported “the authorities in their action and decision”. “If the night game is part of the Scout adventure, it must be experienced safely and preserving the pace and health of young people,” they added.
“The conditions described by the authorities will be re -reading the national movement of the movement, with the participation of camp officials,” said the movement.
(afp)
