Of interest to many of you will be the news today that the remains of an airman in his harness have been photographed hanging from a tree on the Kokoda track in PNG.
The news release is as follows:
The Australian Defence Force is preparing to visit the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea to confirm a possible discovery of the body of a World War II airman found hanging above the track.
A group of Melbourne trekkers say they discovered what they suspect is a moss-covered body hanging in a harness from the jungle canopy.
An Australian Defence Force (ADF) spokesman says the location of the find is near a flight path commonly used by allied aircraft during WWII and that a number of aircraft were reported as missing in this area.
The ADF and at the Australian High Commission in Port Moresby are working to gather more information and are making plans to visit the site to confirm the find.
There are also reports of unexploded ordnance in the area and trekkers are being asked to stay on the track and not interfere with the site.
Melbourne firefighter and part-time trekking guide David Collins says he initially did not think much of it when his clients said they had spotted something hanging in the canopy, until closer inspection.
Photos taken by Mr Collins show an object that appears to be a human body hanging about 15 metres above the ground.
The object was found about halfway along the Kokoda Track near Myola village, a four-day walk from the Port Moresby end of the path.
According to track historians like Charlie Lynn, there was as much action above the track in 1942 as there was on it during the war.
Recently the Australian and PNG governments agreed to protect the Kokoda Track with a view to making it world heritage-listed.
The agreement virtually scuppered plans for a controversial new copper mine near the southern end of the path.
Mr Lynn says possible finds such as this justifies protecting the track.
.............................
Photos have been shown on Australian TV but we won't receive actual confirmation until the visit to the site has been completed.
Just like the bodies of Australian's recently found in Belgium, it will be wonderful for this airman to finally receive a proper burial, no matter his nationality, which may be Australian, American or Japanese.
Mark
The news release is as follows:
The Australian Defence Force is preparing to visit the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea to confirm a possible discovery of the body of a World War II airman found hanging above the track.
A group of Melbourne trekkers say they discovered what they suspect is a moss-covered body hanging in a harness from the jungle canopy.
An Australian Defence Force (ADF) spokesman says the location of the find is near a flight path commonly used by allied aircraft during WWII and that a number of aircraft were reported as missing in this area.
The ADF and at the Australian High Commission in Port Moresby are working to gather more information and are making plans to visit the site to confirm the find.
There are also reports of unexploded ordnance in the area and trekkers are being asked to stay on the track and not interfere with the site.
Melbourne firefighter and part-time trekking guide David Collins says he initially did not think much of it when his clients said they had spotted something hanging in the canopy, until closer inspection.
Photos taken by Mr Collins show an object that appears to be a human body hanging about 15 metres above the ground.
The object was found about halfway along the Kokoda Track near Myola village, a four-day walk from the Port Moresby end of the path.
According to track historians like Charlie Lynn, there was as much action above the track in 1942 as there was on it during the war.
Recently the Australian and PNG governments agreed to protect the Kokoda Track with a view to making it world heritage-listed.
The agreement virtually scuppered plans for a controversial new copper mine near the southern end of the path.
Mr Lynn says possible finds such as this justifies protecting the track.
.............................
Photos have been shown on Australian TV but we won't receive actual confirmation until the visit to the site has been completed.
Just like the bodies of Australian's recently found in Belgium, it will be wonderful for this airman to finally receive a proper burial, no matter his nationality, which may be Australian, American or Japanese.
Mark
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