New Zealand Officer Killed In Kuwait

NEW ZEALAND OFFICER KILLED IN KUWAIT

New Zealand Army officer acting Major John McNutt was killed in Kuwait this morning (5:55am NZT) during a training exercise.

Maj McNutt was observing a live firing training exercise at Udairi Range in north west Kuwait. The observation post he was in was accidentally hit by a bomb launched from an aircraft involved in the exercise. Maj McNutt was killed instantly.

Maj McNutt is an SAS officer and was deployed to Kuwait as a staff officer on the coalition joint task force Headquarters in Kuwait. New Zealand has contributed an officer to this mission since 1998. The mission also involves Britain, Australia and the United States as well as New Zealand.

Twenty seven year old Maj McNutt enlisted in 1993 and studied at the Australian Defence Force Academy in Canberra. He served with Christchurch based 2/1 Battalion prior to joining the 1 NZSAS Group about 18 months ago.

ENDS
Contact: Major Hugh McAslan Army Public Relations, 496 0295

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