Two young Australian women, Sara Zelenak and Kirsty Boden, have been confirmed dead in the London Bridge terrorist attack.

Zelenak, 21, had been missing after becoming separated from friends during the terror attack on Saturday night, local time. Her family were bracing for the worst, and the government expressed serious concerns about her safety.

On Wednesday afternoon, friends and family were told Zelenak had been confirmed dead. Zelenak has been described by family as a “very special, kindred spirit”, who never did anything wrong.

A page raising funds for Sara’s family has re-opened in the wake of the news. “Due to overwhelming response and based on the [recent] confirmation of the devastating loss of Julie and Mark Wallace’s loved daughter Sara Zelenak in the recent terrorist attack, we have decided to reopen this Go Fund Me to allow those requesting to support them to be able to do so,” Susie Fletcher, a friend of the family, posted.

The family of Boden, 28, from South Australia, confirmed her death on Tuesday.

Boden, a nurse working in London, was killed as she ran towards danger in an effort to help people on London Bridge.

Her family said Boden was “loved and adored by her family, friends and boyfriend”.

“She was the most outgoing, kind and generous person who loved to help people,” they said. “Helping people was what she loved to do in her job as a nurse and in her daily life.

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

The foreign affairs minister, Julie Bishop, released a statement on Wednesday saying that two Australians were among those killed by three attackers on Saturday night in London.

“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 officially notified, before we release their names,” Bishop said.

“The Australian government has remained in close contact with the families who have requested privacy.”

Boden, who moved to London in 2013, was previously a lifesaver with the Tamarama surf lifesaving club in Sydney. The club said it was shocked to hear of her death.



“Kirsty Boden was a fearless, compassionate, much-loved lifesaver at Tamarama and the club and community is deeply shaken by this tragic loss,” the club said in a Facebook post. “Our thoughts are with her family at this time.”

The Loxton swimming club in South Australia, of which Boden was a member, and Swimming South Australia also issued statements mourning her death.

The Loxton swimming club described her as an “enthusiastic and great contributor to swimming and our community”.

Swimming SA said the tragedy would “touch all who knew her”. “As a sport, we mourn for Kirsty and remember her great contribution to swimming and the Loxton community.”

Boden was a keen traveller and said she was “just your average dreamer, with a full-time job and a constant longing to go where I haven’t been”.



Zelenak, 21, is the second Australian victim.



Her aunt Tara spoke to media outside the family’s home in Ormiston, south-east Queensland, on Tuesday saying the family was “emotionally distraught”.

She broke down as she described her “absolutely beautiful” niece.

“She’s the girl next door, she’s a very special, kindred spirit,” she said. “She’s one of those girls that doesn’t drink, doesn’t do drugs, doesn’t do anything wrong. She’s amazing and she’s 21 years of age.”

The prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, said on Wednesday the government had been in touch with the families of both Boden and Zelenak.



“We have been in touch with the families of the two young women that you’ve mentioned, Kirsty Boden and Sara Zelenak,” he told Melbourne’s 3AW.

“We have been very assiduous in working with the families and taking care to respect their privacy. Now, the British authorities have not yet formally advised the – the coroner has not yet formally advised of the deaths of either of those young women and their families are either in the UK now or on their way there.”

Turnbull described the two deaths as heartbreaking and a “terrible loss”.

“This is the last thing that anyone expect to happen to their children when they are in London,” Turnbull said.

“We are facing a global threat, this Islamist extremism, it is a disease. It is corrupting, seeking to destroy from within the Islamic religion and of course lashing out to destroy and undermine our way of life.”



Zelenak had become separated from her friends after fleeing the white van that ploughed into pedestrians on Saturday night.

Zelenak’s family launched a frantic search for the young Brisbane woman, who had told her host family she was going to London Bridge for the night.

In a later radio interview, Bishop described the deaths of the “two beautiful young Australian women” as “heartbreaking”.

“The brutality of the attacks are just beyond belief, and it’s sickening to learn of the details,” she said.



Seven people were killed and 48 wounded during the attack, which was committed by three men late Saturday London time. The three attackers were shot dead eight minutes after launching the attack.

