Hundreds of Canadian soldiers stood at attention in the bitter cold early Monday during a ramp ceremony at Kandahar airfield as the body of a comrade killed in Afghanistan began the journey back to Canada.

A ramp ceremony was held at Kandahar airfield on Monday in honour of Gunner Jonathan Dion before the return of his body to Canada.
(CBC)

Gunner Jonathan Dion, 27, of Val-d'Or, Que., with the 5th Régiment d'artillerie légère du Canada, based in Valcartier, Que., was killed early Sunday when his armoured vehicle struck a roadside bomb.

Four other soldiers suffered non-life-threatening wounds in the explosion.

As the sound of ceremonial bagpipes echoed across the tarmac, two of Dion's injured fellow troopers struggled to their feet from wheelchairs to salute as his flag-draped casket passed between the ranks.  

Several pallbearers fought back tears as they carried the casket into the C-130 Hercules transport plane bound for Canadian soil.

Dion is the 74th Canadian soldier to die in Afghanistan. His body is expected to arrive at CFB Trenton on Wednesday at 2 p.m. ET where Defence Minister Peter MacKay and other dignitaries will be present to pay their respects.

Family mourns loss

In a statement issued Monday, Dion's family said they were devastated by his death.

"It will be his distinctive smile and his joie de vivre which will remain in our minds as we think of him," said the family.

"He loved being a soldier and loved being in the company of brothers and sisters in arms."

Dion had wanted to return to Afghanistan for a second tour of duty when his first tour was completed, said his family.

Older armoured vehicles 'almost as good': Laroche

The blast occurred shortly after 9 a.m. local time Sunday as troops were on a routine patrol in Zhari district, about 20 kilometres west of Kandahar city, the military said.

Gunner Jonathan Dion, 27, from Val-d'Or, Que., was killed Sunday when his armoured vehicle struck a roadside bomb in southern Afghanistan.
(Canadian Press)

All five soldiers were flown by helicopter to the Canadian-run hospital at Kandahar airfield, where Dion succumbed to his wounds, Brig.-Gen. Guy Laroche told reporters.

The soldiers were travelling in a tracked light armoured vehicle (TLAV), a modified version of the old M113 tracked vehicle, Laroche said.

He said these vehicles are "almost as good" as the newer LAVs (light armoured vehicles). The incident could have happened to any vehicle, and the choice of using the TLAV had nothing to do with the death and injuries on Sunday, Laroche added.

The TLAV is a heavily upgraded version of an M113 armoured personnel carrier that the Canadian Forces first acquired in the 1960s.
(James Cudmore/CBC)

In a statement Sunday, Prime Minister Stephen Harper expressed his condolences to the soldier's family and comrades.

"I am deeply saddened by the loss of Gunner Jonathan Dion," he said. "I would like to extend my deepest condolences to his family and friends during this very difficult time. I also wish a speedy recovery to the four other soldiers injured in this incident."

Wing Commander Antony McCord, Regional Command South spokesman, said in a statement, "Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the soldier who was killed and those who were injured."

Meanwhile, Taliban militants attacked a police checkpoint in southern Afghanistan and killed 16 officers, the Interior Ministry said Monday.

The policemen were manning a checkpoint in the Maywand district of Kandahar province on Saturday when a large group of militants attacked them, the Associated Press quoted Interior Ministry spokesman Zemerai Bashary as saying.

"We still have not found the bodies, but police in Kandahar have launched a search operation," Bashary said.

A Taliban spokesman, Zabiullah Mujahid, said the militant group was responsible for the killings.

With files from the Associated Press