How tragedies can happen.

This is tragic.How tragedies can happen...

http://nz.news.yahoo.com/080416/2/4x8g.html

Wednesday April 16, 04:24 PM

Teacher died trying to save student

A friend of Elim Christian College teacher Tony McClean says he was trying to carry a student on his back to safety before he died.

The 29-year-old was killed along with six students during a flash flood as they were canyoning in the Mangatepopo River near Turangi yesterday, in a trip organised by the Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Pursuits Centre.

His friend Helen told Newstalk ZB's Danny Watson Mr McClean he would have done everything he could to try to get the students to safety. She says he was a naturally sporty man, with good experience in water, who had even been to Nepal to help the poor. Helen says Mr McClean would never have made a decision to put the students in harm's way.

The six students killed in the disaster were Anthony Mulder, Floyd Fernandes, Natasha Bray, Portia Mcphail, Tara Gregory and Tom Hsu, who were all aged 16.

Parents and caregivers have arrived at Elim Christian College, which is in the Auckland suburb of Howick, to collect students returning from the Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Pursuits Centre. A group of girls ran out of the school's auditorium to embrace their parents, then broke down in tears and stood hugging for several minutes.

Trauma specialists are offering counselling, while a special service has been held for the seven people who were killed. Flowers are being placed outside the school.

Head girl Jessica Mulder says students are in a state of shock and extremely upset. She says she knew all the people who were killed, but feels more personally affected because Anthony Mulder was her cousin.

Jessica says the tragedy is taking its toll on her family, who stayed up most of the night waiting for news. She is amazed by the amount of community support and faith, saying "there is strength in knowing the seven who have passed have gone to be with the Lord".

The school will hold a service for the students and their teacher after their funerals next week.

Parliament offered its condolences to the friends and family of those killed. Prime Minister Helen Clark says she believes all MPs stand united in expressing their deep sorrow at the loss of the lives of the students and their teacher. She says they had so much to live for and so much potential.

United Future leader Peter Dunne says the tragedy is poignant and the loss will be immediate and real to all who are parents, teachers, or work with young people. His sentiments are shared by Green Party co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons who says there can be nothing so hard to bear as the loss of one's child.