Parents fly to Fiji after schoolie's death

4 Dec 2012, 8:06 pm   -   Source: AAP

The grief-stricken family of a school leaver who died during a schoolies party in Nadi have flown to Fiji to try to claim their son's body.

RELATED

The parents of a Brisbane school leaver who died during a schoolies celebration on an island off Nadi have flown to Fiji to try to find answers to their son's death.

Harrison Kadell, 17, was the vice-captain of the St Thomas More Catholic College in Brisbane.

Principal Peter Elsome says he was a popular student who did well in his final year, an outstanding athlete and a role model.

"He was well prepared for the next stage in life," Mr Elsome told AAP.

Harrison was on Plantation Island, off Nadi, celebrating his graduation with about 500 other schoolies this week.

The revellers were holding nightly parties between 7pm and 5am local time.

It is still unclear what happened, but Harrison was found floating in the resort swimming pool about 4am on Tuesday.

"All I know is that he went into the pool and didn't come out ... he drowned," a Fiji police spokesman told AAP.

Mr Elsome began contacting the teenager's classmates on Tuesday to tell them what happened.

"We've had a wonderful year and Harrison was a big part of that year, so it really is a terrible tragedy for all," he said.

Harrison's mother, a former student, was chair of the school board, his older sister had been school captain and his younger brother is a year 10 student.

His distraught parents will try to bring their son's body home, but Mr Elsome says it will probably be some time before they can because the Fiji coroner will likely investigate Harrison's death.

As the flag flew at half mast, Year 12 students started arriving at the school chapel on Tuesday afternoon to grieve Harrison's death and the college is offering support to those traumatised by the news.

It's the second schoolies death to mar this year's celebrations.

Brisbane school leaver Isabelle Colman, 17, fell to her death from the 26th floor of the Chevron Renaissance apartment tower at Surfers Paradise late last month.

At the time, Foreign Minister Bob Carr warned schoolies to take care on end-of-school trips, and to think about their personal safety, alcohol consumption and the laws of the countries they were visiting.

The Australian company which organises schoolies trips to Plantation Island, Unleashed Travel, said in a statement on its Facebook page that the teenager's death was a "tragic accident".

Company director Jot Lynas told AAP he could not comment at this time as the death is the subject of an inquiry.

The St Thomas More College community will plan a memorial service for Harrison in the coming days.

"As a community we're numb," Mr Elsome said.

"We're doing the best we can."

  • Follow us: 
  • Follow us on Facebook
  • Follow us on Twitter
  • Follow us on Youtube