A New Zealand air force officer killed in Malaysia 62 years ago will not be returned home after he was unable to be identified.
A ceremony at the Ōhakea Airforce Base in May for the bodies of three servicemen repatriated from Fiji and American Samoa. Photo: RNZ / Andrew McRae
Flying Officer William Devescovi was due to be repatriated as part of a group of 28 servicemen killed while serving in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam between 1954 and 1971.
He died in a plane crash in Malaya in 1956 and was buried along with two other crew members at the Cheras Road Commonwealth Graves Cemetery in Kuala Lumpur.
The defence force said a disinterment team was unable to identify individual crew members because of the nature of their death and subsequent burial together.
A spokesperson said a dedicated liaison officer was supporting the Devescovi family as they process the disappointing news.
The NZDF deployed an expert disinterment team of bio-archaeologists, forensic anthropologists and NZDF forensic odontologists to ensure all was done to bring its people home.
The Defence Force consulted with New Zealand's Chief Coroner and the protocols used to conduct the identification were consistent with the internationally accepted best practice relating to victim identification.
Next Tuesday, 27 soldiers and one dependent child will be repatriated to New Zealand at a ramp ceremony at Auckland Airport.
