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'Murdered' student's ashes to return home

AAP

July 10, 2009 05:38pm

THE ashes of a Chinese student allegedly murdered in Tasmania will return home after a funeral service tomorrow.

The parents of 26-year-old international student Zhang Yu has invited the people of Hobart to attend her cremation service.

Zu's family travelled from Wenzhou, China, last Saturday, four days after her body was recovered from a river 60km west of Hobart.

Two 21-year-old men charged with murdering her have been remanded in custody until their next court appearance on July 24.

Ms Yu's family issued the public invitation in a statement through Premier David Bartlett's office after meeting him on Friday.

"Ms Yu's family has invited the people of Hobart to attend the funeral of their daughter tomorrow morning," the statement said.

The cremation service will be held at the Turnbull Family Funeral Home, Hobart, at 8am (AEST) tomorrow.

Funeral director Scott Turnbull said the family would take their daughter's ashes home.

Earlier on Friday, Mr Bartlett, the state's acting police commissioner and a detective leading the investigation into Ms Yu's death met with her family.

The Premier said he met Ms Yu's parents on behalf of all Tasmanians and passed on the state's deepest sympathies to them.

"The Yu family is going through a family's worst nightmare and we can only imagine the grief they feel," Mr Bartlett said in a statement.

"Our hearts go out to them. Tasmania is a wonderful place but we all share the pain that this could happen to someone who was a guest on our island."

Ms Yu's parents took possession of their daughter's body on Monday.

It is not yet known if they will stay long enough in Hobart to attend the court appearance of the men accused of killing her.

Police allege a blow to the accountancy student's head while she was inside a Hobart unit contributed to her death, after a random meeting with the men during a night out on June 25.

Friends say Ms Yu was very close to her parents, usually calling them at least twice a week.

About 100 of Hobart's international students have already attended two memorials for her.

More than 1,000 people signed a memorial banner at the Salamanca Market last Saturday, while others laid floral tributes in front of a large photograph of Ms Yu.

The banner will be given to her parents.

Although police say race was not a factor in Ms Yu's death, international students have highlighted their concerns about racism and their personal safety.

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