FED: PNG crash bodies returned to Australia

AAP General News (Australia)
08-26-2009
FED: PNG crash bodies returned to Australia

EDS: Please note clarifies there were three PNG nationals on board the Airlines PNG
plane, instead two as sent earlier



BRISBANE, Aug 26 AAP - The bodies of nine Australians who died in a plane crash near
the Kokoda Track have arrived at Brisbane airport.

Before dawn on Wednesday, Papua New Guinea police escorted three funeral-home mini
vans to the Port Moresby airport so that the bodies of seven Victorians and two Queenslanders
on board the doomed charter flight en route to Kokoda could be laid to rest in their respective
homes.

Funeral officials began taking the bodies of the two Queenslanders, Dr June Canavan
and Keith Gracie, off the aircraft just after noon.

The remaining bodies will be transported to Melbourne later on Wednesday.

Dr Canavan, 59, a sports medicine specialist from Maroochydore on Queensland's Sunshine
Coast, was raising money for a school in Tanzania.

Her friend Mr Gracie, 54, a construction company owner, was lending her his support
and fulfilling a long-held "dream" to walk the track.

Dr Canavan's partner Anne Gripper told AAP they had met nine years ago when she was
competing in a triathlon in Switzerland.

"She was a fantastic person - it would've been hard for me to ever find a better partner,"

Ms Gripper said.

"We shared a love of many things, especially sport - both participating and watching.

"We also loved the performing arts and travel, especially adventure travel.

"It's going to be huge hole for me not having her companionship."

A memorial service for Dr Canavan will be held at the Sunshine Coast University on August 31.

The Mooloolaba Surf Club will host a service for Mr Gracie this Friday.

An Airlines PNG flight carrying two PNG pilots, nine Australians, a Japanese national
and a PNG national crashed into the Owen Stanley Ranges about 1.5km north of the PNG village
of Isurava at an altitude of 5,500 feet (1,650m) two weeks ago.

On board were nine Australians making the pilgrimage to hike the Kokoda Track, where
600 Aussie diggers died fighting Japanese forces.

Australian and PNG officials spent several days in the dense jungle piecing together
remains and clues as to what went wrong.

A report on the cause of the crash was expected in mid-September.

AAP djb/pjo/maur

KEYWORD: PNG PLANE 3RD UPDATE

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