Mother confirms Sara Zelenak is second Australian killed in London Bridge attack
The mother of Brisbane woman Sara Zelenak has confirmed the 21-year-old has died in the London Bridge terror attack.
Sara, a nanny, is the second Australian confirmed killed following Saturday’s terrorist attack.
“Sara Zelenak is confirmed dead, they found her body & has DNA tests confirmed. Thank-you for all the overwhelming love & support from everyone,” Julie Wallace posted on Facebook on Wednesday.
Metropolitan Police issued a statement later on Wednesday:
"Detectives investigating the London Bridge terrorist attack on Saturday, 3 June can confirm that whilst formal identification awaits Sara Zelenak can be named as one of the eight people who were killed during the incident.
"Sara Zelenak, 21, an Australian national, was living and working in the Capital.
"Specially trained family liaison officers are supporting her family."
The Zelenak family issued a brief statement that says: "We are deeply saddened at the tragic loss of our beautiful daughter and sister of Harrison and Scott.
"Sara's family and friends are devastated. We would like to thank our friends and family who are helping us through this very difficult time.
"We will not be making any further comment, and we ask that the media respect our privacy."
The family of nurse Kirsty Boden, 28, from South Australia confirmed her death on Tuesday night.
Two Australian women confirmed dead following London Bridge attack
Sara Zelenak narrowly avoided Manchester and Westminster attacks
Ms Zelenak’s mother Julie Wallace said her daughter had narrowly missed two other UK terror incidents: the Manchester arena bombing and the Westminster Bridge attack.
“The one with the policeman being stabbed three months ago, she was there the day before in the exact spot,” Ms Wallace said.
"The one with Ariana Grande's [concert], she was going to go to the concert [but didn't].
"Everything she has just missed."
Earlier Foreign Minister Julie Bishop expressed her sorrow over the loss of "two beautiful young women" but did not disclose either woman's name.
Ms Bishop said in an earlier statement that the government was "deeply saddened to confirm" two Australians were killed in the attack but withheld the victims' names.
"We continue to work with the United Kingdom authorities who have asked that we await official confirmation of the identities of the victims, and for the families to be official notified, before we release their names," Ms Bishop said in a statement released Wednesday morning.
The women died after three men used a van to mow down pedestrians on London Bridge and followed this with a stabbing rampage at a nearby market.
The three terrorists were shot dead by police. All three men have since been identified.
Ms Boden, a nurse who tried to help victims on London Bridge when she was killed, was remembered by her family in a statement they released about her death on Tuesday.
"Kirsty was loved and adored by her family, friends and boyfriend," her family statement read on Tuesday.
"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."
