NEW YORK, Dec 2 (Reuters) – A Texas Christian summer camp for girls, where 27 campers died in a July 4 flash flood, announced plans to reopen in May at a nearby location with enhanced safety measures, despite earlier criticism from a family whose daughter was never found.
The century-old Camp Mystic has remained closed after the girls were killed when floodwaters raged through the retreat on the banks of the Guadalupe River before dawn following torrential rains.
The camp announced on Tuesday that it plans to reopen in late May and operate to early August for six terms, each lasting 10 days.
“We are preparing for next summer at Camp Mystic Cypress Lake and we know that safety is of the utmost concern to all of you, as it is for us,” the statement read.
The location expected to host campers is about 500 yards (0.5 kilometers) from the site that was destroyed by flooding on July 4.
The statement mentioned summer camp safety bills introduced by Texas authorities after the fatal flooding.
“We thank the Heaven’s 27 families and our state leaders for passing legislation to help make camps safer, and it is our goal not only to be in compliance with the new camp safety laws, but to exceed their requirements,” Camp Mystic said.
The new safety system includes flood-warning river monitors, cabin speakers, and higher-capacity generators that will help maintain communication with emergency personnel in case of an emergency.
The plan to reopen the camp, first announced in September, drew criticism from the parents of one of the victims, Cile Steward, the only child, who remains missing after the flood.
“You are preparing to invite children to swim in the very river that may still hold our daughter’s body,” said the letter cited by KHOU 11 News in September.
“We understand that deciding whether or not to return to camp this summer will be a difficult decision for many families,” Camp Mystic said in the Tuesday statement.
(Maria Tsvetkova; Editing by Aurora Ellis)
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