NZ man's death in Baghdad bombing 'random'

The death of a Hamilton man in Iraq was entirely random, the company that employed him said today.

Teina Marokura Ngamata, a 37-year-old father of four, was driving foreign workers through the city when a bomb went off.

He had worked as a driver in Baghdad since 2004 and returned to New Zealand just two weeks ago to see his family before travelling back to Iraq.

ArmourGroup chief executive officer Dave Seaton said today the attack was "most definitely" random.

"It was a very unfortunate incident in that our vehicle happened to be going along the road at the wrong time and was targeted by an insurgent bomber," he said.

The company was giving Mr Ngamata's family as much support as it could, he told National Radio.

"We've made arrangements to have family members come out to Kuwait to do whatever they need to do. And there is financial support, not that financial support is any restitution," Mr Seaton said.

He said several dozen New Zealanders worked for ArmourGroup in Iraq. "The only reason we're in Iraq is to provide support for reconstruction efforts."

Brother-in-law Ben Hadfield said the risks of the job had always been at the front of Mr Ngamata's mind, but he played them down to give his family peace of mind.

"At times he was honest with them but he always said the best precautions were taken," Mr Hadfield told the Dominion Post.

"He said if you died over there, you were in the wrong place at the wrong time."

In a statement, his sister-in-law Charmeyne Te Nana said he was "a warrior and a loving family man who was dedicated to his wife Cheryl and their four children".

Mr Ngamata was born in the Cook Islands and lived in Hamilton.

Ms Te Nana said that his wife and brother, Taneao, would fly to Kuwait today to bring his body home. He will be buried in Rarotonga.

The killing, revealed last night by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, was part of a series of bombings which has prompted an influx of American soldiers to patrol the capital.

American commanders are worried by the increasing security crisis facing Baghdad which is facing sectarian killings and kidnappings.

- NZHERALD, NZPA