Finding Private Kovco

[Moi]

Was it you General Disregard or Major Stuffup who was responsible for this.  How slack and how sad for his family 

Wrong body returned from Iraq

27apr06

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 is 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 will be flown to Australia immediately, by private charter if necessary.

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.

[julzqld]

That's dreadful

[mjs]

I agree - it's difficult to comprehend.

i also find it hard to believe that he was actually cleaning his weapon and it went off - that's almost urban myth stuff, particularly as he was a weapons expert. 

[Moi]

And who is actually in the coffin - wonder if they've worked out who he is.
 

[mightytiges]

How stupid can you get!  His poor wife and family would be suffering enough without this sort of thing happening on top of his tragic death.

i also find it hard to believe that he was actually cleaning his weapon and it went off - that's almost urban myth stuff, particularly as he was a weapons expert. 

They are now claiming the pistol didn't go off when he was cleaning it but that he was doing "something" nearby when it went off.

[mightytiges]

And who is actually in the coffin - wonder if they've worked out who he is.
 

An unidentified Bosnian soldier  .

[General Disregard]

I wasn't gonna comment on such a tragic and sensitive incident

Captain Revenge will be more likely to know about other people's privates

We need an investigation into the whole affair

[Capt. Revenge]

 :(pass

[mightytiges]

The poor family now has to put up with a 6 month inquiry  .

[Ox]

WHAT A LOT OF CRAP.

Someone screwed up with the travel arrangements - WOW !!!!!

As for the circumstances surrounding his death....tuff break. if he necked himself but he wouldn't be the first uniformed man to check out.

Dont let your kids join the forces.

[mjs]

Love your sensitive side Ox 

Article on the weekend pointed out that if the coffin was correctly labelled then the military identified him incorrectly.

If the coffin was labelled incorrectly then no-one bothered to check the labels all the way to Australia, including a stop over in Saudi Arabia.

Most likely scenario is option one as the Bosnian civilian also had his head bandaged due to him dying of a brain tumor.

[tiga]

As reported last night, apparently the bosnian civillian has been sent to the Woomera detention center as Immigration minister Veranda Sandstone stated, The Austrailan government will continue it's hardline on illegal immigrants and there will be no special cases...Even if they're dead!

[mightytiges]

As reported last night, apparently the bosnian civillian has been sent to the Woomera detention center as Immigration minister Veranda Sandstone stated, The Austrailan government will continue it's hardline on illegal immigrants and there will be no special cases...Even if they're dead!

That's funny  because you wouldn't be surprised if that happened  .