Fallen diggers return to Australia

The bodies of three Australian soldiers killed in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan
have arrived in Sydney, for a ceremony to be held in their honour.
The plane carrying the bodies of privates Ben Chuck, Tim Aplin and Scott Palmer
touched down at Sydney's RAAF airbase at Richmond, from Dubai, on Saturday
afternoon.
The soldiers were killed in a Black Hawk crash last Monday.
Their families, defence personnel and Defence Minister John Faulkner will attend the
ramp ceremony at the airbase later on Saturday.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard will not attend, her office says.
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.
Seven other soldiers from the Special Operations Task Group were also injured in the
crash, with five in a serious condition.
They are being treated for multiple fractures, lacerations and other crush injuries
at a US military hospital in Landstuhl, Germany.
Sixteen Australians have lost their lives since operations in Afghanistan began in
2001.