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Russian lower house speaker offers condolences over death of 15 children in Karelia

"All the circumstances that have led to this tragedy are to be established and those responsible for it must be punished", he said

MOSCOW, June 19. /TASS/. Speaker of the Russian State Duma lower parliament house has extended his condolences over the death of 15 children in an accident in Russia;s republic of Karelia and called to strictly punish responsible for it.

"I express my deep condolences to the families of the children who died in Karelia. I share the anguish of your bereavement," he said on Sunday. "All the circumstances that have led to this tragedy are to be established and those responsible for it must be punished. My thoughts and empathy are with each of those hurt by this terrible tragedy."

Earlier in the day, chairperson of the State Duma labor and social policy committee Olga Batalina said that the tragic accident that had claimed the lives of 15 children vacationing in a summer camp in Karelia was a result of flagrant violation of safety requirements and negligence of regulating structures.

According to preliminary data, forty-seven children vacationing at the Park Hotel Syamozero children’s camp accompanied by four adult instructors ran into a gale while rafting on three boats in Lake Syamozero in Karelia, northwestern Russia. The boats overturned and sank. Fifteen children died. All the adults survived.

Russia’s Investigations Committee opened a criminal case over the accident. Four suspects have been detained.

June 20 has been declared a day of mourning in Karelia.