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Students killed in NZ flash flood | Students killed in NZ flash flood |
(about 8 hours later) | |
Six high school students and a teacher have been killed by flash flooding in a national park in New Zealand. | Six high school students and a teacher have been killed by flash flooding in a national park in New Zealand. |
The group, from a school in Auckland, were taking part in an outdoor adventure course in the North Island's Tongariro National Park. | The group, from a school in Auckland, were taking part in an outdoor adventure course in the North Island's Tongariro National Park. |
Police said that they were swept away by rising river water after a sudden rain storm. | Police said that they were swept away by rising river water after a sudden rain storm. |
New Zealand's Prime Minister Helen Clark described the deaths as "an unspeakable tragedy". | New Zealand's Prime Minister Helen Clark described the deaths as "an unspeakable tragedy". |
Rain storm | Rain storm |
A group of 12 people - 10 students, an instructor and a teacher - had been canyoning along an isolated gorge on Monday. | A group of 12 people - 10 students, an instructor and a teacher - had been canyoning along an isolated gorge on Monday. |
School principal Murray Burton reacts to the tragedy | |
Canyoning involves a combination of hiking, swimming and climbing along a river. The students had been wearing wet suits, life jackets and helmets. | Canyoning involves a combination of hiking, swimming and climbing along a river. The students had been wearing wet suits, life jackets and helmets. |
Grant Davidson, chief executive of the Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Pursuits Centre, said that a sudden rain storm caused the river level to rise fast. | Grant Davidson, chief executive of the Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Pursuits Centre, said that a sudden rain storm caused the river level to rise fast. |
"The amount of water that came down the canyon is particularly unusual, I've never see it rise in that short a period of time in the 24 years I've been here," he said. | "The amount of water that came down the canyon is particularly unusual, I've never see it rise in that short a period of time in the 24 years I've been here," he said. |
Six 16-year-old students - three boys and three girls - and a male teacher were killed. | Six 16-year-old students - three boys and three girls - and a male teacher were killed. |
Four other students and the instructor managed to escape from the water. One of the students is now being treated in hospital. | Four other students and the instructor managed to escape from the water. One of the students is now being treated in hospital. |
Police said that an investigation into the accident was under way. | Police said that an investigation into the accident was under way. |
Prime Minister Helen Clark expressed "profound sympathy and shock" over the accident, describing it as every family and school's "worst nightmare". | Prime Minister Helen Clark expressed "profound sympathy and shock" over the accident, describing it as every family and school's "worst nightmare". |