'Unquestionable' willingness to help: Tributes for London attack victim Kirsty Boden

Malcolm Turnbull has reached out to the families of two Australians killed in the London Bridge terror attack - a sickening rampage his foreign minister has described as savage beyond belief.

An undated handout photo made available on June 6 by Britain's London Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) showing Australian nurse Kirsty Boden

An undated handout photo made available on June 6 by Britain's London Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) showing Australian nurse Kirsty Boden Source: AAP

South Australian nurse Kirsty Boden, 28, one of two Australians killed in the London terror attack on Saturday night, is being remembered as an "outstanding young person".

Her former school, Immanuel College, said Ms Boden had "a bubbly personality that quickly earned her the respect and admiration of both staff and students".

"Kirsty's sense of community and willingness to give her time and energy for the benefits of others was unquestionable," the school said in a statement.

"Kirsty was a lovely caring young woman. She always had a smile on her face and was warm and welcoming to all she met.

"She will be greatly missed by all who knew her."
Prim Minister Malcolm Turnbull has also spoken with the family of Brisbane woman Sara Zelenak, who had been missing since Saturday night's terror attack, but was on Wednesday confirmed as the second Australian fatality.

"I am a father...Kirsty or Sara could be one of my kids, it could be one of your kids," he told 3AW's Neil Mitchell on Wednesday.

"This is heart-rending, this is the last thing anybody expects to happen to their children when they are in London."

Prince Harry has also sent his condolences to those affected by the deadly London Bridge attack during a visit to Australia.

"Australians form an important and vibrant part of the fabric of life in London, and we are reminded of that in good times and bad," the prince said in Sydney on Wednesday.

"Our hearts go out to the victims, their friends and families."

Prince Harry pays tribute to Australian victims

The Boden family, in a statement released on Tuesday night, said Kirsty was running to help victims of the stabbing and van attack when she was fatally injured.

"As she ran towards danger, in an effort to help people on the bridge, Kirsty sadly lost her life," they said.

"We are so proud of Kirsty's brave actions which demonstrate how selfless, caring and heroic she was, not only on that night, but throughout all of her life. Kirsty - we love you and we will miss you dearly."
Sara Zelenak
Brisbane woman Sara Zelenak had been missing since Saturday night's terror attack. (AAP) Source: AAP
It was unclear if Ms Boden was hurt when three men used a van to run down pedestrians on the bridge or when they went on a stabbing rampage in a nearby market.

The three terrorists were quickly shot dead by police.

"Kirsty was loved and adored by her family, friends and boyfriend," the family statement read.

"She was the most outgoing, kind and generous person who loved to help people.

Helping people was what she loved to do in her job as a nurse and in her daily life."

The family, from Loxton in SA's Riverland region, asked for "the privacy we need to grieve away from the public eye".

SA Premier offers condolences to victims

Ms Boden worked in the theatre recovery ward at Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital which said she was a "one in a million" nurse who "always went the extra mile for the patients in her care".

SA Premier Jay Weatherill offered his condolences saying "Kirsty's death brings the horror of terrorism closer to home for all of us".

"It's the random nature of this heinous crime which makes it so hard to fathom," he said.

The Mayor of Loxton, Ms Boden's home town, Leon Stasinowsky, told SBS World News his heart sunk when he heard the news.

"It’s just one of those things, for a senseless, gutless act, to have someone who was just there doing everyday things, and to be taken that way," he said.

"Especially under the circumstances, that she was helping somebody else who had been caught up in this, just takes me as being a real, true hero and that’s the sort of person that she was.

"It was somebody who was so well liked in the community, excelled in the community, sport and also her job as a nurse."

Mr Stasinowsky said he was open to speaking with the community and the Boden family about a permanent memorial to Ms Boden.

South Australian woman killed in London attack


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4 min read
Published 7 June 2017 7:43am
Updated 7 June 2017 3:50pm
Source: AAP

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