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Jun 10, 2008 8:02 pm US/Central

Local Student Dies After Senior Trip To Cancun

Reporting
Carol Cavazos
GRAND PRAIRIE (CBS 11 News) ― A South Grand Prairie High School student, on life support after a disastrous post-graduation trip in Cancun, died at a Dallas hospital Tuesday evening.

Friends visited Lisa Thang Chung on Tuesday, praying for a miracle. The 18-year-old nearly drown after jumping off a catamaran and being run over by a rescue boat.

Several students from South Grand Prairie High School returned to North Texas Monday night, leaving Chung behind. John Cosme was on the trip with Chung. "We're hoping for the best. Everyone's been praying here at home," he said. "We're just hoping we hear some good news. Hopefully a miracle's taking place."

Saturday, Chung was on a catamaran with some of her friends when the float started taking on water. According to the teens, the crew 'abandoned ship' and they jumped off the float because they thought it was going to sink. It never did.

The teens say that while Chung was in the water - with her life vest on - a rescue boat ran over her. Chung suffered heart and lung failure and was transported to Dallas Methodist Hospital.

Chung and the South Grand Prairie High School senior class had just graduated less than two weeks prior to the accident. Wednesday was the original date they were to return to North Texas.

"She was so very, very happy, and that's why I gave her a trip to Cancun," said Oanh Chung, Lisa's mother. "When she came back, she was ready to go to Baylor, and then she said that's her future."

"Definitely a senior trip gone bad," said Jay Cosme, John's brother. "It's something that they're supposed to go out there and remember for the rest of their lives. And it's definitely something that they're going to remember, and not in a good way."

The company that arranged the class trip, Gradcity, has now suspended all snorkeling cruises in Cancun, and they promise to conduct a thorough investigation. A spokesperson for the company said that, despite reports to the contrary, the boat was operating at less than half its capacity.

A vigil will be held for Chung at South Grand Prairie High School on Wednesday night.

(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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