Nanaimo students in Nice safe but some 'stressed' after witnessing attack, says school official
Some students were less than 30 metres from where attack took place
Nanaimo school officials say its students and chaperones are safe in Nice, France but they are now watching for signs of trauma after some from the group witnessed the deadly attack.
Dale Burgos, director of communications at the Nanaimo-Ladysmith School District, said he's been told some students were less than 30 metres away from the scene of the incident.
"There were some very, very close and had witnessed the attack," he said. "Obviously very troubling."
About 85 students and 12 adult chaperones from the Nanaimo area were on a school-related trip to Nice, where a terrorist attack during Bastille Day celebrations killed at least 84 people and injured many more.
Some students and teachers are now feeling "a bit of stress" but Burgos says the district is doing what it can to take care of the group.
"We're asking our teachers out there to make sure they keep an eye out on them," he said. "We've given them instructions on signs of trauma — what to look for, and if we have to, we'll send counselors out as soon as we can."
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Burgos says school principals met yesterday to call parents and reassure them their children had all been accounted for. He said although many had already been in touch with their kids, parents were still "pretty shaken."
Principals in contact with parents of students in France. Will continually update as information comes from chaperones.
—@sd68bcUpdate: The 85 students plus chaperones have left <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Nice?src=hash">#Nice</a>, France for a day trip. Have received support from the foreign crisis centre.
—@sd68bcThe student-teacher contingent is believed to have left Nice on a day trip.
They were supposed to head to Spain next as part of the cultural learning trip and return to Vancouver Island on July 25.
The school district has been updating its website and Twitter with information and their next steps.
In a tweet, Premier Christy Clark said news of the attack is "horrible" and she is thinking of all those involved and their families.
This is just horrible. Thinking of all those involved and their families. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Nice?src=hash">#Nice</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/France?src=hash">#France</a> <a href="https://t.co/l5Ki1xT6Hu">https://t.co/l5Ki1xT6Hu</a>
—@christyclarkbcWith files from The Canadian Press and CBC Radio's On The Island