Remains of Waterford bomb victim flown home

The body of Irish teenager Tara Whelan (17) was flown home from Turkey to Ireland this evening.

The body of Irish teenager Tara Whelan (17) was flown home from Turkey to Ireland this evening.

The woman from Kilmeaden, Co Waterford, died instantly when a bomb exploded on a packed minibus in the western Turkish resort on Saturday.

Ms Whelan's remains were taken to Cork University Hospital shortly after the plane carrying her remains landed at Cork Airport just before 8pm this evening.

A post mortem examination of the body will take place tomorrow.

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Three Turkish people, two women and a man, were also killed in Saturday's attack. A British woman (21) who was transferred to hospital in Izmir died later. Another 13 people were injured, five of them British. Two of the British tourists were reported to be in critical condition.

Ms Whelan's former school, Our Lady of Mercy in Waterford City, will open today to allow staff and pupils to pay tribute to her. Ms Whelan was due to receive her Leaving Certificate results in a few weeks.

A National Educational Psychological Service psychologist has arrived at the school to help staff provide support and counselling services to the pupils.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern will be raising issues of security for Irish tourists when he visits Turkey this week.

Mr Ahern had been scheduled to visit the country in his capacity as UN special envoy for a series of bilateral meetings on UN reform. However, the agenda will be broadened in the light of the bomb attack in Kusadasi.

Immediately after the attack on Saturday, the Minister issued a statement condemning what he described as "this cruel and senseless act".

"There can be no justification whatsoever for this atrocity. I condemn in the strongest terms those who planned this attack.

"I call on the Turkish authorities to pursue those responsible with the utmost vigour and to bring them to justice," he said.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern also condemned the attack. Once more it appeared the bombers had struck against ordinary people, Mr Ahern said. His thoughts and prayers were with those caught up in the atrocity, he added.

Kurdish separatists of the PKK have been blamed for the bombing. It was initially thought to be a suicide attack, but it is now believed a bomb may have been placed underneath a seat on the minibus.

In a statement this evening, Kurdistan Solidarity Ireland said it "unequivocally condemns" the bomb that killed Ms Whelan.

"The Kurdish people have been the victims of Turkish State terrorism and violence and therefore condemn theses actions, recognizing that the causes of peace and justice cannot be served by such indiscriminate, violent and cowardly terrorist acts.

"The Kurds who have come to Ireland from Turkey, Iraq, Syria and Iran all fleeing state terror, persecution and ongoing denial of Kurdish rights are shocked by this bomb attack and the needless death it has caused."