Northland School Board Pleads Guilty to Charges After Fatal School Caving Trip in 2023
Source:https://www.rnz.co.nz/
The board of Whangārei Boys’ High School has admitted guilt to two charges concerning endangering lives following a fatal caving trip last year. Karnin Petera, aged 15, tragically died after being swept away by floodwaters during the school’s outing to Abbey Caves on May 9, 2023.
The school board’s lawyer, Marie Wisker, entered guilty pleas for both charges during a brief session at Whangārei District Court. Judge Gene Tomlinson scheduled sentencing for September 27, dedicating the entire day to the proceedings starting at 10am, with the court dedicating the entire day to the proceedings. Restorative justice was ordered for all affected parties, including the 14 other boys on the trip and two workers, whose identities were temporarily protected.
The charges under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 allege that the school board, as a PCBU (Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking), failed to ensure, as far as reasonably practicable, the health and safety of individuals involved in the outdoor education caving activity at Abbey Caves Reserve.
This failure included exposing participants, including Karnin Petera, to risks of death or serious injury. Additionally, the board did not adequately ensure the health and safety of workers engaged in the same activity, further exposing them to similar risks.
The incident occurred despite a pre-trip risk assessment warning of flooding risks, leading to the closure of Abbey Caves to the public since then. The caves have been closed to the public since the incident, despite a risk assessment warning about flooding risks prior to the trip, which proceeded during an orange rain warning.
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