Abbey Caves tragedy: Whangārei community demands answers as investigation begins

A man who lives near the Abbey Caves has described the moment a teacher did a headcount of his students after the cave network flooded and broke down in anguish as he realised one boy was missing.

A community is reeling and demanding answers about why a school caving trip went ahead amid torrential rain, while authorities begin investigating the death of a Whangārei Boys’ High student.

The student went missing after he, 14 other classmates and two staff members got into difficulty in the Abbey Caves on an outdoor education trip.

Caleb Salisbury, a concreter who was working near the accessway to the caves told the Herald three schoolboys ran to him for help, in tears and shaking: “They were saying, ‘we need a phone, we need a phone - there’s a whole bunch of boys stuck in the cave’.”

Salisbury said more boys and two teachers came out afterwards and did a headcount.

“He [the teacher] thought he’d got them all out. I counted 16, he counted 17, so he counted again and then he just broke down and started bawling.

“He just collapsed. He was mortified. So me and a kid ran down to the caves to see if could do anything.

Abbey Caves. Photo / Michael Cunningham

“But you know, the water was just so intense. It was a serious deluge of water, like, seriously bucketing down. The main thing is that that teacher did everything that he could to save those boys.”

Salisbury phoned 111 and was there when the teacher explained everything to emergency services.

“He was explaining what had happened and what he had done, you know, the water had come up so fast, like, it was head deep within a minute, it, it just flooded the cave so fast,” Salisbury said.

“There was a bunch of guys getting sucked under a ledge below him [the teacher] and he pulled five guys out from under that ledge. By the time he pulled the last guy out the water was over his head and he was pinned against the rock.”

School principal Karen Gilbert-Smith paid tribute to the Year 11 boy yesterday, describing him as “a much-loved son and brother”.

Gilbert-Smith said she knew there would be a lot of questions to answer, “but I am simply not in a position to provide answers at this early stage out of respect for the whānau”.

One schoolboy who was on the excursion said the water rushed at the group. Recounting the ordeal, he said there was a desperate attempt to phone emergency services in an area without cellphone reception.

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said it was “every parent’s worst nightmare to... not have your child returned safely home in the evening”.

Whangārei Boys’ High School and its board of trustees may be liable for prosecution following a student’s death on a school caving trip, health and safety lawyers have told the Herald.

Hipkins said there would be “multiple investigations”, including from the Ministry of Education, and expected these to result in areas where policy changes were required.

“Then I’m absolutely confident there’ll be action. I think it’s important that that’s done as independently as possible.”

The Ministry of Education’s traumatic incident team was supporting the school, and family liaison officers and Victim Support have put measures in place to help the student’s family. Security guards could also be seen outside the school yesterday.

The boy’s whānau said they were grateful to the emergency crew and rescuers who brought “our baby boy back to us”, but parents of other boys on the trip expressed dismay at the fact the trip went ahead in the first place.

Flowers left at the entrance to the Abbey Caves in Whangārei after the death of a student from the Whangārei Boys' High School. Photo / Michael Craig

A classmate on the caving trip told 1News the water rose in a matter of minutes after about an hour of being inside the cave.

“We were halfway through the cave when the water started coming at us,” he told 1News.

“We floated back with the current to get out. It was really fast, like five minutes.”

A schoolboy told Stuff he saw his classmate being swept away by floodwaters inside the cave.

His mother criticised the school’s and police’s communication - saying she contacted the school as news of the rescue effort broke on Tuesday but was told to wait for an emailed statement.

She told Stuff her son was fearing for his life as the water in the “canyon-like” Organ Cave rose from waist to neck height in minutes.

One of the last things the ill-fated expedition saw before entering the caves was a large sign warning of the perils of “rapidly” forming floodwaters.

“The caves can fill with water to more than waist-deep on an adult,” it reads.

“Always check the previous week’s rainfall and current weather forecast before entering.

“The Ivy Cave is particularly prone to flooding and caves can fill with water quite rapidly.”

Floodwaters filled the Organ Cave at the Abbey Caves in Whangārei about 10.30am, prompting a major rescue operation.

A former Abbey Caves tour guide told the Herald just two to three millimetres of rain would normally prompt a trip like this to be cancelled due to the propensity for flash flooding.

MetService forecast 90mm of rain for Northland for Tuesday. An orange heavy rain warning was issued for the region. Come Tuesday morning, as the tragedy unfolded, 23mm fell between midnight and lunchtime.

Floodwaters filled the cave about 10.30am, prompting a major rescue operation by Police Search and Rescue, Urban Search and Rescue (Usar) and Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fenz).

The boy’s aunt called for prayers from the community to help find her “lost” nephew.

His father was seen arriving at the scene, visibly upset. Another person, understood to be whānau, embraced him in a lengthy hug.

The student’s body was found later on Tuesday evening.

Whangārei Boys' High School principal Karen Gilbert-Smith (far left) with police at Abbey Caves. Photo / Michael Cunningham

A family member shared a message of thanks to all who were involved in the rescue operation in a post to a Facebook group yesterday.

“On behalf of the whānau, 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.

“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.”

WorkSafe confirmed yesterday morning an investigation has begun, but couldn’t comment further while the investigation was under way.

Gilbert-Smith acknowledged the tragedy had made an impact on school staff, students and the wider community.

“It’s really important for me to let you know how devastated we are that one of our whānau has lost a much-loved and treasured son and brother,” she said.

Emergency services at Abbey Caves where a student went missing. Photo / Michael Cunningham

Gilbert-Smith said the school “will, of course, fully comply” with the WorkSafe and police investigations.

“The school is continuing to operate as [normally] as possible and continuing to focus on supporting all whānau, staff and student impacted - with assistance from iwi and appropriate agencies,” Gilbert-Smith said.

Associate Education Minister Kelvin Davis visited the scene yesterday morning.

He said the dead boy’s family needed all the love and support they could get from the community.

“We need to be thinking about the other young people from the school - his friends, but also the staff as well,” Davis told reporters.

“Everybody is really feeling for this and everyone is reeling, but the most important thing to do right now is to have care, compassion and love for those people who are affected, especially the family.”

The Prime Minister voiced love and support to the family on behalf of the country.

“I just want to take the moment to acknowledge that what has happened there, it is a tragedy,” he said.

“[It’s] an awful thing for the family to be experiencing. I’m sure we will all be sending our love and sympathy to them.”