The prime minister, John Howard, has personally apologised for a major bungle involving the first Australian soldier to die in Iraq.
The body of Private Jake Kovco was due to arrive in Melbourne, but the wrong coffin with the body of another individual, was sent from Kuwait.
Mrs Kovoco's widow, Shelley Kovco, has spoken with Mr Howard on the telephone and angrily told him how she felt about the mix-up.
Mr Howard has apologised to her and her family, and on commercial radio blamed a private mortuary in Kuwait for the mistake.