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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
National
Sean Ryan

Funds raised to bring body of Irish nurse home after hiking tragedy in Australia

A GoFundMe page set up to repatriate the remains of an Irish born nurse who died in a hiking accident in Australia has raised over €25,000.

Donations are pouring into a fund to raise monies to cover the repatriation of the remains of Achill-born nurse Fiona Lavelle (41) who died tragically while hiking in Western Australia last week.

Fiona, who had emigrated to Perth a number of years ago, went missing on Tuesday last while hiking in the Cape Le Grand National Park.

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Fiona had parked her car in the scenic spot of Hellfire Bay that morning, planning a bushwalk before temperatures spiked to over 40 degrees that afternoon.

The alarm was raised when she failed to return home and her Nissan Navara was found, still in the car park on Tuesday night. Her body was discovered by a search party the following day.

According to the fund organiser, Amy Duggan and Fiona’s husband John McLoughlin, all funds raised will be utilised by John and Fiona’s family, who primarily live overseas, for flights, funeral expenses and whatever unexpected costs arise during this difficult time.

“Everyone who was lucky to know Fi (pet name) knows how vivacious, loving and generous she was,” she added.

The death is regarded by police as ‘non suspicious’.

Her husband's uncle, Cllr Martin McLoughlin (FF) who is a member of Mayo County Council said: ‘’Fiona loved the outdoor life. She was a lovely person, and her death is an absolute tragedy’’.

He also thanked everyone ''for the kindness and sympathy expressed to the family at this sad time''.

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