MoD apology on flu death soldier

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/8189191.stm

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The Ministry of Defence has apologised to the family of a Coleraine soldier who died last week from swine flu.

The MoD had initially said Lee Porter, 30, had "existing health problems" complicated by the virus.

However, it has now acknowledged it was wrong to say this after the soldier's family raised concerns.

"The MoD has apologised unreservedly to the family and for anything we said that they indicated caused concern at that tragic time," a spokesman said.

Mr Porter, who was a bombardier in the Royal Artillery, will be buried in his home town on Saturday

His parents had been in the US when they heard he was sick and travelled to be with him in hospital in Surrey.

He died at Frimley Park Hospital last Friday. He was the first person from Northern Ireland to die after contracting swine flu.