Nine first-year members of the student association Utrechtsch Studenten Corps and the female student association UVSV became unwell during a ski trip to Risoul in France. Five students ended up in hospital. Two people from outside the associations also became unwell. The holiday has now been cancelled.
The youths spontaneously collapsed, trembled violently, alternated laughing and crying, rolled their eyes, became nauseous, vomited, had panic attacks and suffered from short-term memory loss. They were, however, approachable.
The student associations are still in the dark about the cause of the complaints, says a spokesperson for the Utrechtsch Studenten Corps, who does not want to say much more. Travel organization Bohemian Birds suspects that the travelers have been drugged.
After ski
The first students were not feeling well during the après-ski on Tuesday evening. “It concerned five reports, three students were transferred to hospital,” the associations report in a message in the possession of The Telegraph.
The organization took immediate action. On the festival site where the young people became ill, only drinks in cups with a lid were served during the day, in order to reduce the chance of drugging. Extra security guards and guides also kept an eye on things.
Nevertheless, four students faced similar complaints on Wednesday evening. Two were hospitalized. The organization then decided to close the festival site for the students immediately.
“Safe in village”
All nine people are now doing well. “Everyone is safely back in the village.” It is still conjecture as to the cause. The associations hope that the hospital will be able to tell you more within a few days.
In total there are 450 first-years on the trip. On Thursday evening two buses will leave for the Netherlands, the rest will follow on Friday evening.