David White/Stuff
Flowers were placed at the entrance to Whangārei Boys’ High School on Wednesday after the death of one of their students while on a class trip to Abbey Caves.
The 15-year-old schoolboy who was swept away while on a class trip to Abbey Caves has been named.
Karnin Petera was on a school trip to the caves with 14 other classmates and two adults from Whangārei Boys’ High School when rising floodwaters separated him from the rest of the group on Tuesday morning.
His family confirmed on social media that he had died in the caves on Tuesday.
Police first received a call about a group “in difficulty” at the caves near Whangārei at 10.26am on Tuesday.
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“It is with deep sadness that we wish to inform you that our beautiful boy Karnin Ahorangi Petera has indeed tragically passed away during the unfortunate incident at the Abbey Caves,” Kim Cuddy, the boy’s auntie posted on social media.
“He is now laying in state at his home surrounded by all his Whānau and friends. We would also like to extend a welcome to anyone else from the community who also loved our baby boy and want to pay their respects.”
Breakfast
The group from Whangārei Boys High School were in Abbey Caves when it was hit by a severe weather event.
Despite the search being called of at around 5pm on Tuesday, a body was later recovered using specialist equipment “late” that evening, police said.
On Wednesday, Petera’s family thanked emergency responders for their “tireless efforts” in a social media post.
“On behalf of the whānau of the missing WBHS student, we cannot express how grateful we are to all those who were involved in helping us find and bring our baby boy back to us,” Cuddy wrote, who gave Stuff permission to quote her.
“Police, fire crew, search and rescue, medical crew and so much more. We all felt so supported and cared for throughout the entire process. Your tireless efforts and aroha will be with us forever.”
Cuddy also thanked the public for their “prayers and kind words”.
Stuff previously revealed that the group caught up in the floodwaters were meant to be rock climbing, but bad weather had forced the trip underground instead.
David White/Stuff
Torrential rain braught Auckland and Northland to a standstill on Tuesday.
In an email sent to parents last Friday, the school’s head of outdoor education Stevie Huurnink said that due to “forecasted rain” they had to modify “planned trips”.
Whangārei Boys’ High School principal Karen Gilbert-Smith has thus far refused to answer questions about death.
Investigations on behalf of the Coroner, WorkSafe and the Ministry of Education have been launched.
