Fed: Soldiers continue grisly task of searching for bushfire victims

AAP General News (Australia)
02-10-2009
Fed: Soldiers continue grisly task of searching for bushfire victims

CANBERRA, Feb 10 AAP - Australian soldiers are continuing the grisly task of combing
rubble across fire-ravaged central Victoria in search of victims, with one reservist having
discovered six bodies.

Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon said some 460 Australian Defence Force personnel were
assisting in the relief operation, with more arriving all the time.

Among them are 140 reservists who had been training to deploy to the Solomon Islands.

"In addition to that we have got another 170 who are playing a search role, very sadly,"

he told Sky News on Tuesday.

"They face the task of finding dead bodies and that's happening on a regular basis."

Authorities say that at least 173 people have been killed in the inferno, with the
toll expected to rise.

Mr Fitzgibbon said the size of the force engaged in the search for victims was an indication
of the scale of the disaster.

"One of those reservists came across six bodies last evening," he said.

"This is really challenging work for our reservists.

"These are civilian volunteers and it's a reminder to the broader community of the
important role our reservists play in the Australian Defence Force."

Another 100 soldiers in an engineering group were using bulldozers to create fire containment
lines and to reopen roads and fire trails.

Mr Fitzgibbon said the presence of uniformed personnel provided a sense of security
and confidence to others involved in the relief mission.

"They are doing real and meaningful work and it is appreciated by the other authorities
that they are supporting," he said.

AAP mb/kms/maur

KEYWORD: BUSHFIRES VIC DEFENCE

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