THE bodies of three young men from Northern Ireland who died in two separate accidents in Perth are being returned home to their families this week.
The body of Alan Haughey (28) arrived back in Craigavon, Co Armagh yesterday, while the families of two men killed on a building site in the Australian city are hopeful that their remains will be returned home to in Ireland in the coming days.
The Kevin Bell Repatriation Fund has been involved in helping the families of all three men.
Colin Bell last night said it was hoped that the body of Gerry Bradley from Macosquin, Co Derry would leave Australia today, with Joe McDermott from Omagh leaving tomorrow.
The two men died on November 25 when a concrete slab fell on them at a building site they were working on in Perth.
Mr Bell, whose family set up the fund after their son Kevin was killed in a suspected hit-and-run in New York in June 2013, said it would be a "big relief for all three families" to have their loved ones back home.
The funeral of Mr Haughey is due to take place at St Anthony's Church in Craigavon tomorrow at noon.
The 28-year-old died in a road crash on November 21, just weeks after making a dream move to stay in Australia.
He was tragically killed when the car he was a passenger in left a road on the outskirts of Perth while on his way to a kayaking trip in the Kalgoorlie area.
Mr Haughey had been travelling and working in Australia for four years and only recently been granted his residency.
His family have set up a Just Giving page to help raise funds for the organisation that have helped them following his death.
"We're raising £5,000 to The Claddagh Association and the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust because of their help and assistance in getting Alan home," it said.
They added that Mr Haughey has a "lust for life, travel, music and anything mechanical. He will be very sadly missed by all his friends and family".
The families of the Mr McDermott and Mr Bradley hope to have their loved ones' remains returned home within days.
Mr Bradley had been in Australia for nearly two years, while Mr McDermott had only moved to the country just weeks ago to begin a new life.
The deaths of the three men brought to nine the number of Irish deaths in the Perth area in just three weeks.
