An 18-year-old Ontario student was found dead in a hotel room during a graduation trip to Cuba, family members confirm.The family released a statement Saturday saying Alex Sagriff died Thursday in Varadero, Cuba while on a trip organized by S-Trip, a Toronto-based student travel company.Sagriff was a recent graduate of St. Theresa Catholic Secondary School in Belleville, Ont. She was preparing to attend Loyalist College in the fall.“Our concern right now is trying to get her home. We don’t know much of anything,” the family said in a statement posted on social media.“Alex was an amazing young woman, she had a ton of friends, and has a ton of family who loves her.”S-Trip communications co-ordinator Derek Champoux said an emergency response team was dispatched to Cuba immediately to support travellers and supervisory staff.“Travel arrangements were made for friends and classmates and at this time the majority have returned home,” he wrote in an email.He would not comment on details of the emergency response team, travel arrangements, or how many students were on the trip.“Our first priority is the safety of our travellers and at this time I can’t disclose those details,” Champoux said, adding that S-Trip is respecting the wishes of Sagriff’s family to keep private the details of the tragedy.A cousin, who asked not to be identified, confirmed that an email was sent to families of those on the Varadero trip and that a doctor at the scene said Sagriff had died of natural causes.The federal government has confirmed the death of a Canadian in Cuba, but could not reveal further details due to privacy concerns. The government said consular officials are in touch with local officials in Cuba and with the family.Michelle Pautisan said her son was on the same trip when Sagriff died. She said the group arrived in Cuba on Wednesday and they were scheduled to return on July 14.Pautisan said her son wi ...
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