Students and teachers tried to save the life of an abseiling instructor after he fell 40 metres to his death after an accident in the Margaret River.
Marcello Silveira, 53, was leading an excursion of 15 year 11 Perth high school students with two teachers, when he fell at Brides Cave in Boranup just after 3pm on Thursday.
The group tried to save the father by giving him first aid but he died at the scene.
The students have been offered counselling this morning as they begin to process the traumatic incident.
The abseiling instructor was a “well-respected” member of the caving community with over 25 years of experience.
“A lot of effort was put in place to try and revive him,” Sergeant Simone Taplin, the officer in charge of the Margaret River Police Station, said.
“That assistance didn’t work,” she said, adding the scene was “quite traumatic”.
The students and supervising teachers had been on a camp and caving was one of their outdoor activities.
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After they were extracted from the cave by other abseiling professionals, they were put back on the bus and a counsellor spoke to them.
They were taken home last night and Taplin said the group was “all in shock”.
The instructor was a father with a young family and despite being originally from overseas, had lived in the community for some time.
“He was a well-respected and regarded member of the caving community and of the Margaret River community.”
The students are being offered counselling.
WorkSafe has been advised of the incident and a report will be prepared for the Coroner.
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