The body of 21-year-old Trooper Karine Blais, who died Monday in a roadside bomb explosion northwest of Kandahar City in Afghanistan, was returned to Canada on Thursday.
Her remains arrived at CFB Trenton around 2 p.m. and her body will then be transported along the portion of Highway 401 known as the Highway of Heroes, to the coroner’s office in Toronto.
Blais was killed and four others were injured when their armoured vehicle struck an improvised explosive device north of Kandahar City in the Shah Wali Kowt District.
She was a member of 12e Regiment Blinde du Canada based at Canadian Forces Base Valcartier, Que., serving with the 2nd Battalion, Royal 22e Regiment Battle Group.
Blais had only been in the war-ravaged country two weeks when she became the second Canadian woman killed in action in Afghanistan.
The first Canadian woman to die in battle in Afghanistan was Capt. Nichola Goddard of Calgary.
Present Thursday to pay their respects were Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean, Defence Minister Peter MacKay and Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Walter Natynczyk.
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