Vincent Massey Collegiate students return from Paris trip after attacks
7 students, 2 teachers from Winnipeg high school were travelling through France on exchange
Students from a Winnipeg high school touched back down in Winnipeg Monday night after returning from a school trip to Paris.
Seven students and two teachers from Vincent Massey Collegiate left Winnipeg Nov. 5. They were in the French capital at the time of the attacks Friday that left 129 dead and dozens more critically injured.
At the time of the attacks, the students and teachers were sleeping a safe distance away, Ted Fransen, the superintendent of education for the Pembina Trails School Division, told CBC News.
"We're overjoyed that they're home safe and all is well after a long weekend," Fransen said. "They were always safe; they always felt safe and they were a long distance from where the explosions happened."
Grade 12 student Ashley Derksen was on the trip and said the group was having a great time before the attacks.
"It was just sad, scary," she said. "We went back to the hotel when we heard and we didn't really go out after that."
Her friend Nicole Stupel, who wasn't on the trip, said in the moments right after the attack, she didn't know where Derksen was.
"It was scary not knowing what's going on, not being able to do anything," she said.
The school division and teachers in Paris previously inquired with Air Canada about catching a flight home over the weekend.
They were assured by the company that due to the chaotic nature of the airport, and beefed up security in the streets, that they would be better off waiting to leave as the originally planned on Monday.
Fransen added that the attacks haven't done anything to change the division's stance on international school trips.
"We still believe strongly in the value of student travel and having kids see the world and to be exposed to what's out there. We will of course do our due diligence on safety and pay close attention to that, we always do."