3 students drowned in NZ rock-climbing disaster

A 17-year-old Brazilian exchange student is one of three people feared drowned in New Zealand after a high school rock-climbing outing ended in disaster.

New Zealand police say two local instructors were taking 11 students on a coastal rock-climbing exercise Wednesday when three of the students fell into the water. An instructor then dived in to try to help. One of the students clung to a rock until he was rescued, but the instructor and two students were swept out to sea.

Rescue crews were continuing to search Thursday for the trio near New Plymouth on New Zealand's North Island. Police named them as 42-year-old

Bryce Jourdain and 17-year-old Stephen Kahukaka-Gedye, both of New Plymouth, and Felipe Melo, the 17-year-old Brazilian exchange student.

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