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Children and leaders from Guernsey who have travelled to the World Scout Jamboree in South Korea are all safe and will be continuing their trip to the country despite plans changing as a result of problems at the Jamboree site itself.
Andrew Snell - Commissioner for the Bailiwick of Guernsey Scouts - told Express on Friday afternoon that the local contingent and scouts from the UK will be moved from the Jamboree to accommodation in Seoul when they wake up in the morning.
It was night time in Korea when he spoke to us and he was unable to go into any more details except to "confirm they're moving to Seoul" and that there are "likely to be reports in the national media about it".
Mr Snell confirmed all parents are being kept informed with additional details which he is not able to share with us.
A statement issued through the national Scouts website confirmed the move out of SaeManGeum to Seoul and said that a new programme of activities is being arranged to alleviate the disappointment of leaving the Jamboree site.
Pictured: The full statement from the UK Scouts.
The World Jamboree has been attended by 39,000 scouts and leaders in total with 4,500 from Britain alone.
Guernsey sent a party of 13 including nine Explorer scouts aged between 14 and 18 years old.
The Guernsey contingent left the island last Friday and are not due back until 18 August.
Mr Snell said they will carry on with their adventure but won't be following their original plans for the three week Jamboree extravaganza.
While Guernsey's small party are expected to be moved on Saturday morning (Korea time), the British contingent will move over the next two days.
"As we are the largest contingent, our hope is that this helps alleviate the pressure on the site overall," said the UK Scouts.
Pictured: The Daily Mail has called the situation a "nightmare".
The BBC has reported temperatures hitting 35c with water being sent in to the Jamboree site in South Korea, along with medical staff.
Hundreds of people are said to have fallen ill already with the parents of one girl telling the BBC that the scouts have been unable to cool their tents and are dealing with "appalling and unsafe" showers and toilets with "floating rubbish, plasters and hair" blocking the drains.
The UK scouts statement said its leaders have been trying to help resolve those issues.
"While we have been on site at the Jamboree, the UK volunteer team has worked extremely hard with the organisers, for our youth members and adult volunteers to have enough food and water to sustain them, shelter from the unusually hot weather, and toilets and washing facilities appropriate for an event of this scale."
Pictured: Scouts from around the world taking a break at the 25th World Scout Jamboree 2023 Saemangeum on August 4, 2023 (Shutterstock).
South Korea has been experiencing temperatures in the mid 30s during the day times and the mid 20s at the lowest overnight.
Today the temperature in Seoul was 34c with lows of 24c overnight.
Tomorrow's daytime temperature is forecast to reach 35c with an overnight low of 25c.
Pictured top: Scouts from around the world taking a break at the 25th World Scout Jamboree 2023 Saemangeum held on August 4, 2023 in Buan, Jeonbuk, South Korea (Shutterstock).
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