 The body of the first Australian soldier to be killed in Iraq was scheduled to arrive in Melbourne this morning, but in what the Defence Department said is a "terrible mistake", the wrong body has been returned. The body of Private Jake Kovco was due to be given a service in Gippsland with full military honours, but the coffin that arrived in Melbourne this morning contained the wrong body. The 25-year-old private accidentally shot himself while cleaning his weapon in Baghdad on Friday. He was a member of the 110-strong security detachment in Iraq's capital to protect Australian officials. The Defence Department said the return of Private Kovco's body to Australia "has been delayed". It said in a statement that an error occurred in Kuwait and the incorrect casket was despatched. The department said Private Kovco's body would be flown to Australia immediately, by private charter if necessary.| The obvious question is: Whose body was in Pte. Kovco's coffin??? |
It said the cause of "this unacceptable, terrible mistake" will be the subject of a thorough investigation, and "no stone will be left unturned" to get to the bottom of the mix-up. |