Belgian schoolchildren drown in boating capsize near Frelinghien on the River Lys

Background. The River Lys, known as Leie in Dutch, is a left-bank tributary of the Scheldt flowing through France and Belgium. Frelinghien is a commune in the Nord department of northern France. The river historically served as a commercial navigation route, with major works started around 1670 to address floods.

Incident. In December 1899, more than 40 schoolchildren from Belgium drowned near Frelinghien. The passage specifies that they fell through the ice while skating on the frozen river. The legacy hint mentions a boat capsize, but the supplied passage explicitly describes falling through ice.

Geography. Frelinghien is located in the Nord department in northern France. The River Lys flows generally northeast through France and Belgium. The river's historical pollution from industrialization in Northern France and Belgium is noted, though improvements occurred in recent years.