2023-11-04 07:30:55
The family of five-year-old Matvii had just left Ukraine to escape the war. An unnamed tragedy turned everything upside down with storm Ciaran this Thursday. The five-year-old child tragically lost his life in Ghent following a tree collapsed. “They cannot understand that they have to abandon their son in such a tragic way,” testifies a friend of the family in the columns of Nieuwsblad.
That day, Matvii, who was part of a Kabonga holiday with his three-year-old sister, went to the Ghent playground with the animators in charge of the group, while their youngest sister , aged one, stayed with her parents. But things quickly turned tragic. “We really don’t understand how this might have happened,” says a Ukrainian refugee from the same village as Matvii’s family. “Fleeing the war in Ukraine, the family thought they would be safe in Belgium,” adds the refugee, who specifies: “Don’t forget that we always want to return home, because Ukraine is our home.”
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But who is responsible for this tragedy? Despite the forecast of the storm, the leaders still went to the plain with the children. While code orange was in effect from 10 a.m. this Thursday, the city did not communicate it until 10:35 a.m. The plain being surrounded by trees, one of them did not survive the storm Ciaran. While the instructors were calling the children back because the wind was getting too violent, thick branches fell from the tree and knocked out little Matvii.
Taken to hospital immediately, the child died from his injuries a few hours later. “A few moments later, we heard the terrible news: Matvii was dead. His little sister saw everything,” says the family friend. “What happened is so serious. The question remains: why were these children playing outside in the middle of a storm? », he adds.
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Regarding the little boy’s funeral, the parents decided to bury Matvii in Belgium. “The grandfather is on his way to Belgium. Matvii’s grandmother is ill and will not be able to come,” confides the friend. The boy’s paternal grandparents are both deceased.
In the meantime, parents are asking for explanations. “They want people to take responsibility. This tragedy might have been avoided. This should never happen once more, the children must be safe,” says the pastor of the Ukrainian community in Ghent.
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