The condition of two of the Australian soldiers injured in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan on Monday has worsened.
Three Australian soldiers and a US soldier died in the crash, and five others were injured.
They're all being treated at a US military hospital in Germany, where doctors say two that were in a satisfactory condition are now in a serious condition.
Three of the seven remain in a very serious condition. The condition of the other two is described as satisfactory.
The soldiers are suffering from multiple fractures, lacerations, and crush injuries. One of them also has a head injury.
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Medical staff say it'll be some time before any of them are able to travel back to Australia.
Ramp ceremony
The bodies of three dead soldiers are on their way home following a sombre ceremony in Afghanistan.
A ramp ceremony was held at the Tarin Kowt base in Oruzgan Province on Thursday to honour privates Ben Chuck, Tim Aplin and Scott Palmer ahead of their homecoming.
The flag-draped coffins of the three fallen soldiers were loaded onto a RAAF C130J plane at Tarin Kowt for a flight to the Al Minhad Base in the United Arab Emirates on Thursday night.
From there they will be flown to Australia.
The deaths of the three soldiers and injuries to seven others had deeply affected their comrades, Australian commander Major-General John Cantwell said.
"Tim, Ben and Scott were consummate professionals," he said.
"Their deaths have hit us all hard but we must remember that they died doing exactly what they wanted to be doing."
General Cantwell said the three soldiers had been given a "true warrior's farewell in the finest traditions".
"Our focus is now on ensuring that their families are assisted in every way possible to come to terms with what must be unbelievable grief."
Australian troops were joined by personnel from the Afghan National Army and other NATO-led coalition forces at Tarin Kowt.
Returning home
The Queensland family of 27-year-old Private Chuck will fly to Sydney on Friday.
Jason Chuck said his brother's body was due to arrive in Sydney on Saturday, and the family would be there to see him returned home.
He said Private Chuck's body would be flown home to Yungaburra, near Cairns, on Tuesday, ahead of a funeral service on Thursday.
"We are really looking forward to having him back," Mr Chuck told The Cairns Post.
"We will have a service for him in Sydney on Monday with his unit and then we will bring him back on Tuesday."
Mr Chuck said the Sydney ceremony would be held at the barracks where his brothers unit, the 2nd Commando Regiment, was based.
"It will just be the regiment and family and friends of the three boys," he said.
"It will be more of an opportunity for Benny's army mates to say goodbye and we are really pleased we have been given an opportunity to be part of it."
