Thousands pay respects to Italy blast victims

Thousands of mourners, from Italy’s president to ordinary citizens, streamed past the caskets of 19 Italians killed in Iraq, paying their respects today to the victims of Italy’s worst military disaster since the Second World War.

Shortly before, the remains of Corporal Pietro Petrucci – who had been pronounced dead on Saturday after being declared brain dead – arrived at Rome’s Ciampino airport.