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AAP
AAP
National
Rachael Ward

Travel company and school charged after student's death

A school and a travel company have been charged over the death of a student on an overseas trip. (Bianca De Marchi/AAP PHOTOS)

A travel company and a Melbourne school have been charged over the death of a student who became unwell on a school trip.

Kilvington Grammar student Lachlan Cook, 16, suffered diabetes complications during a trip to Vietnam in September 2019 and later died in hospital in Melbourne.

His death was found to have been preventable by a coroner in 2023.

A court previously heard the boy had been self-managing his type 1 diabetes when he fell ill and was taken to hospital 24 hours after first showing symptoms.

He suffered a heart attack and was flown back to the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne, with his life support switched off in October 2019.

On Wednesday, it was revealed WorkSafe has charged both the school and travel company.

World Travel Expeditions has been charged with three counts of failing to ensure that persons other than employees were not exposed to health and safety risks under the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

The regulator alleges the company failed, so far as was reasonably practicable, to reduce the risk of illness or death to participating students, including those with diabetes.

The school is also facing one charge under the health and safety law.

The case is due to be heard at the Melbourne Magistrates Court on April 30.

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