The Whangārei Boys High School student who died on a caving trip on Tuesday has been named by the family.
He was Karnin Ahorangi Petera.
In a Facebook post on Thursday morning, the family said it was with "deep sadness" that our "beautiful boy" Karnin died during a school trip at Abbey Caves in Whangārei.
"He is now laying in state at his home surrounded by all his whānau and friends. Whānau are all welcome, nau mai haere Mai," the family said on Facebook.
"We would also like to extend a welcome to anyone else from the community who also loved our baby boy and went to pay their respects."
The family said Karnin will make his final journey to Te Karae where he will lay at Paa Te Oro Marae."
The Whangārei Boys' High School Board of Trustees has also acknowledged the boy's death.
Presiding member Andrew Carvell said in a statement it was with "immense sadness" he acknowledge Karnin's death.
"Karnin was a treasured and deeply loved son, a brother, a friend to so many, and an inspiration to fellow year 11 students at Whangārei Boys High School," he said.
"As Trustees and parents, we share the hurt this event has caused. We will continue to support whānau, staff, students and our WBHS community to help with the healing process."
Carvell said there is a care plan in place to monitor the welfare of all students and staff, prioritising those most impacted by the event. They are doing this by working closely with the Ministry of Education while seeking help and guidance from iwi and various agencies, he said.
Access to counsellors for those who need additional support is also available, Carvell said, and this will remain in place for as long as it is required.
"The Board are fully supporting a thorough investigation into this event by the NZ Police and Worksafe NZ. As reported yesterday, we are unable to provide any more detail while the investigation is underway," Carvell said.
"Again, I want to provide reassurance to whānau, staff, students and our WBHS community that the Board will continue to support people through this grieving process in any way we can."
It comes after a body was found late on Tuesday evening in the search for a missing student after earlier reports the group of 17 from the school got into trouble in Abbey Caves during severe weather.
While many in the school community have questioned why the trip went ahead despite weather warnings, the first person to raise the alarm has described the teacher with the group as a hero.
"I was the person who phoned 111 yesterday in this tragedy. I'm still pretty cut up about it - it's pretty tragic losing a young man like that.
"He had a lot left to give. I'm really sorry we couldn't help or do more," said witness Caleb Salisbury.
Salisbury was paving concrete next door when the heavens opened and the rain rushed in. He said the teacher in there with the students was a hero who put his life on the line.
"That man was pinned against the rocks pulling the boys out from beneath the ledge," Salisbury said. "That man was devastated. He collapsed when he realised there was one missing.
"He was absolutely mortified.
"That teacher's a hero. He saved a whole bunch of lives.
"There would be a whole bunch more dead kids in there. He did his absolute best.
"He was underwater as long as he could handle it."
A hapū representative also wanted people to take a breath, stop piling criticism on the school and focus on providing love to everyone that's been devastated by the tragedy.
"The message on this day is to take care of each other and especially our young ones who are affected by grief and impacted by this," Ngāti Kahu o Toro-ngare hapū kaikōrero Nicki Wakefield told AM on Thursday.
"So here in Whangārei, we have the rolling [teacher] strike as well, so many young people out of school today. So just thinking of those young ones and extending aroha to them, taking care of each other, that's kind of our key focus today as the hapū."
A Givealittle page has been set up to help support the boy's whānau and has so far raised more than $60,000.
