Flags flew at half-mast today as the survivors of the Lake Tekapo kayaking tragedy returned to their university campus.
The group of students from Melbourne's Monash University had been kayaking on the lake when a gust of wind caused a swell and tipped them into icy water on Friday.
All 11 were wearing life jackets, but 21-year-old Danny Hollnsteiner and 20-year-old James Murphy were thought to have succumbed to hypothermia and died.
In a letter to students and staff today, Monash University vice-chancellor Margaret Gardner said flags would fly at half-mast on campus today to commemorate the lives of Mr Hollnsteiner and Mr Murphy.
The surviving members of the group returned safely to the university last night, she said. It was understood they had checked out of their accommodation in Timaru earlier yesterday.
Ms Gardner said it was with the "deepest regret" that the university had lost two students.
She said the "terrible news" came after the death of Monash student Kristi Kafcaloudis, 24, who fell to her death from a mountain in Norway earlier this month.
"This news will, again, deeply sadden our university community and our heartfelt thoughts, support and best wishes are extended to the families of Danny, James and of course Kristi, their colleagues, and their friends during this tragic time," she said.
Ms Gardner thanked university staff who supported the group of students involved in the kayaking tragedy.
She said students and staff could get counselling support if they felt they needed it.
The students who died in Friday's tragedy were both on exchange from universities in their home countries.
New Yorker Mr Hollnsteiner was a student at the University at Buffalo, part of the State University of New York, while Londoner James was from the University of Warwick.
Family and friends paid tribute to the pair yesterday.
A cousin said Mr Hollnsteiner was "as nice a guy as you'll every meet", while a friend of Mr Murphy's said he was "the best friend I could have ever have asked for".
Mid-South Canterbury area commander Inspector Dave Gaskin yesterday said police were investigating on behalf of the coroner.
It was likely post-mortem examinations of the bodies would happen early this week and then they would be released by authorities.
