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The company responsible for a high ropes course that left a 14-year-old schoolboy with critical neck injuries maintains the incident had "nothing to do with the misuse or failure of any safety equipment, instructional or participant error".
Year 9 student Connor Petterson remains in a critical but stable condition in hospital after being injured in a high ropes course at Woodford, north of Brisbane yesterday.
It is believed Connor from Brisbane's Marist College, became entangled and suffered neck and facial injuries while on a school camp activity at Adventure Alternatives Education Centre.
The boy was flown by rescue helicopter to the Lady Cilento Children's Hospital in Brisbane, with his parents at his bedside.
Students are being offered counselling today.
In a statement, Adventure Alternatives Managing Director Todd Samorowski said it was an "unforeseen incident".
"The incident also had nothing to do with our continued level of safety, our professionalism or the safety of any of the activities we run and will continue to run in the future," he said.
"It is imperative in this matter that we are aware and acknowledge that there are humans involved in this incident, humans with feelings, emotions and who have had to deal with a difficult and challenging situation."
Mr Samorowski sent his best wishes and prayers to the student and also thanked those who have provided support to the staff involved.
"It is with these pieces of acknowledgement and support that we can start the process of moving forward in a positive direction."
School representatives visited the Adventure Alternatives Education Centre to find out exactly how the incident occurred.
In an email to parents today, the school said the student is receiving the best of care.
"In the days and weeks after this incident, the College will continue to provide the students and staff with all the prayer and support services they require," the statement said.
"We thank for community for their continued support and we ask that you please continue to keep the family in your prayers."
Yesterday, Marist College headmaster Peter McLoughlin said the boy's parents were with him at the hospital.
"The boys have been informed of the accident on site and it is our intention to provide a debrief and counselling support at school [Thursday] morning," he wrote.
The remainder of the camp was cancelled and the boys were brought home on buses Wednesday night.
Workplace health and safety staff have attended the scene of the incident and an investigation is underway.
'There's been an accident': Parent gets text
ABC Radio presenter John Scott said his son was at the camp, but was doing a different climbing activity when the accident happened.
"They were actually well away from it and were having lunch when the chopper came in and they didn't even associate it with the camp," Mr Scott said.
He said the boys were asked to go to base camp where they were told there had been an accident on the high ropes, and the school would be abandoning the camp.
Mr Scott said his son had been contemplating the ropes but he was relieved he decided to do the climbing instead.
"I was in the bank and I got a text saying: 'there's been an accident — camp's been abandoned, pick up your son this afternoon'," he said.
Mr Scott said other than the text he had not received any official information about the accident from the school, but despite that he felt Marist College had handled the incident well.
"The kids were told don't start any rumours," he said.
"It's a very sad thing but the school has done the best they can by the kids — that's my observation.
"They told them exactly what had happened and that the boy was getting the best care he could be."
Mr Scott said his son knew the injured teenager, and seemed to be handling it as well as could be expected.
'Absolute tragedy'
Industrial Relations Minister Grace Grace said the incident touched parents and families across the state.
"This must have been a terribly traumatic experience for all involved," she said.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the young boy, along with his family, loved ones and classmates.
"I will ensure that any learnings or recommendations from this incident are implemented promptly."
A principal whose Year 8 students returned from the outdoor camp just weeks ago said it was "too early to tell" whether his school would return to the facility.
Immanuel Lutheran College principal Colin Minke said its students had only reported having a great time at the camps held at Woodford since it began sending students three years ago.
"We've had nothing but positive feedback from those experiences," Mr Minke said.
He said the college also operated its own outdoor facility at Blackbutt, 150 kilometres north-west of Brisbane.
Mr Minke said the incident at Woodford was an "absolute tragedy" and he was praying for Connor's family.
"I can understand how impactful that would be on families, particularly the young person's family," he said.
Topics: emergency-incidents, disasters-and-accidents, accidents---other, accidents, woodford-4514, brisbane-4000, ashgrove-4060, qld, australia, maroochydore-4558
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