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Another probe opened into tragedy in Karelia

During the investigation into the tragic events on Lake Syamozero where children died (Article 238 of the RF Penal Code), along with looking into actual details of the tragedy it is no less important to find out its causes, which we believe lie in the organization of children’s tourism. The Head Office of the Investigative Committee has opened an investigation in a crime under Part 3 of Article 293 of the RF Penal Code (negligence entailing death of two or more people by negligence). The article bears punishment of up to 7 years in jail.

According to investigators, as early as in 2015, state executive authorities as well as Karelia’s inspectorates in charge of supervising children’s safety received many times reports on repeated breaches of law while organizing summer camps and other recreational activities for minors by managers of OOO Park-Hotel Syamozero. Among other things there were violations of sanitation requirements to the keeping and operation of stationary summer camps.

Despite this, the officials of the state executive authorities and Karelia’s inspectorates took no measures during the year against managers of OOO Park-Hotel Syamozero. The investigators believe that the camp had to be either halted or closed entirely. Instead the authorities repeatedly issued necessary permissions to the managers of the Park-Hotel for further operation.

This way, according to the investigators, negligence and improper discharge of duties of the officials of the state executive authorities and Karelia’s inspectorates took its toll on the accident which took lives of children.

The negligence case and the one over unsafe services have been joined to form a single lawsuit. Necessary investigative operations are continued to find out all the details of the crime and collect necessary evidence.

Head of Media Relations                                                                                                                                V.I. Markin