Australian death in Iraq

An Australian airman has become the nation's first military casualty in Iraq, killed while serving with Britain's Royal Air Force.

Flight Lieutenant Paul Pardoel, 35, from Victoria, died when a British C-130 Hercules transport plane crashed north of Baghdad overnight killing up to 15 troops.

Pardoel was a former member of the RAAF who had enlisted with the RAF, Australian defence officials said. He is the first Australian military casualty in the Iraq conflict. Pardoel had dual British-Australian nationality and had been living in the UK with his family.