ST. PETERSBURG, March 26 (RAPSI, Mikhail Telekhov) — The leader of a children's tourist group trapped under an avalanche in the Khibiny Mountains, what resulted in the death of a 13-year girl, has been detained until May 22, the Leninsky District Court of the town of Murmansk informs RAPSI.

Sergey Smirnov was charged with providing services not meeting safety requirements, what resulted in the death of a child. Investigators allege that Smirnov, an instructor of the St. Petersburg tourist club Skif, led a group of children aged 12 to 15 on the avalanche-risk slope on March 22.

As follows from the materials of the case, the head of the group failed to take into account the hazards presented by the hard-to-reach terrain of the region, its difficult relief, and the state and volume of snow cover before going on a multi-day ski trip with minors.

On the third day of the hike the children found themselves dangerously close to an overhanging snow mass on a hill, which collapsed when the group passed in its immediate vicinity. According to the press service of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Murmansk region, Smirnov committed numerous violations during his passage.

The reasons making investigators to insist on the arrest of the man are to be voiced next Monday according to the press service of the Investigative Committee.

The St. Petersburg main directorate of the federal Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case against managers of the Skif club over alleged negligence on their part.