A 20-year-old British man and a 21-year-old American have died while kayaking in New Zealand when strong wind tipped him into icy water, local police have confirmed.
James Murphy, from London, was one of the two victims in the accident on Saturday in Lake Tekapo in the South Island of New Zealand. The Warwick University student was on an exchange program in Australia.
The other was Daniel Hollnsteiner from New York.
Both were students at Monash University in Melbourne, and were in New Zealand during a semester break.
A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are providing support to the family and are in contact with the New Zealand authorities."
New Zealand Police said the victims were part of a group of young people who had hired kayaks for a trip on the lake.
"They ran into difficulty after venturing out on the lake and being swamped after an easterly wind picked up to an estimated 20 knots," the statement said.
"All survivors were suffering from hypothermia and a small number required hospitalisation at Timaru Hospital.
"An investigation will take place, looking at the reasons this tragedy occurred."
Police say there were 11 people in the group, all reportedly in their 20s.
"The air temperature when it happened was about 3 degrees and the water wasn't much warmer than that and they were in the water for about an hour," police commander Inspector Dave Gaskin told the New Zealand Herald.
Monash University is offering counselling support for staff and students, and has extended its sympathies to the families and friends of the two men.
"Monash has sent a senior member of our management team to New Zealand to support other students there at this difficult time," the university said in a statement.
"Our deepest sympathies are extended to the families of the students, their colleagues, and their friends during this tragic time.
"Our thoughts are also with the remaining students."
The Lake Tekapo area is popular with tourists for its outdoors activities. The area is about 250km southwest of Christchurch.
