For the second time in a month, a Queenstown English school is "broken" after one of the French kayakers found dead on Lake Wakatipu early yesterday was identified as a student.
The man - who was in his 20s - had graduated to a pre-intermediate level of English from Language School New Zealand Queenstown (LSNZ) on Friday.
School managing director Guy Hughes, who also owns Queenstown Sea Kayaks, said the school's 40 students and staff were very upset over the death.
"We're a very tight-knit family. Students and staff get pretty close, so it hits us pretty hard. We're feeling a bit broken. It's the second time in a month and another funeral," he said.
The death comes just 24 days after South Korean student Geon Joo Park (23) was killed instantly near Franz Josef, when she was thrown from a van driven by fellow LSNZ student Eleanor Julie Chappuis (27).
Mr Hughes said Ms Park's death was the first since the school opened 17 years ago.
Classes were suspended yesterday morning and some students went to the lake shore to grieve, he said.
As with Ms Park, a memorial service would be held for the French student, Mr Hughes said. It was likely his family would attend.
