Libya News_Oscar-nominated photographer killed in Libya

Tim Hetherington died from a mortar round while on the front line

Oscar-nominated photographer killed in Libya

Herald Sun
By staff writers
From: NewsCore April 21, 2011 5:39AM

OSCAR-NOMINATED director and photojournalist Tim Hetherington was killed in Libya overnight when a group of journalists he was with came under mortar fire in the besieged rebel-held city of Misrata.


Three other journalists were believed to have been wounded in the attack.

Hetherington, 41, a British-born Vanity Fair photojournalist with dual US citizenship, was nominated for an Oscar this year with co-director Sebastian Junger for Restrepo, a documentary about US troops in Afghanistan.

US photojournalist Chris Hondros, who was on assignment for Getty Images, was initially reported to have died in the attack. However, it was later reported that he had been revived by doctors and was in extremely critical condition and fighting for life.

British journalist Guy Martin was also reported to be in grave condition after suffering shrapnel wounds while a fourth journalist - Michael Christopher Brown - suffered non-life threatening injuries.

News of the attack was first reported by Andre Liohn, a fellow photographer who announced the deaths of Hetherington and Hondros on his Facebook page.

"Sad news Tim Hetherington died in Misrata now when covering the front line. Chris Hondros is in a serious status."

Liohn, who claimed to be at the hospital in Misrata where the wounded were being treated, later reported on his feed that Hondros had died. The whole post was later deleted.

Vanity Fair, the magazine at which Hetherington worked as a contributing photographer, confirmed his death on its website.

"Tim Hetherington, photojournalist, filmmaker, and Vanity Fair contributing photographer, was killed today while covering the conflict in Libya," the magazine said on its website.

According to AFP, the group of journalists was hit by mortar fire on Tripoli Street, the main street in Misrata, which has been under siege for almost two months by troops loyal to Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi.

Hetherington's website says that he was born in Liverpool, England, studied literature at Oxford University and was currently living in New York.

A Getty spokesman said the agency had not received any official confirmation on Hondros' status, but said he had been in touch with agency editors earlier in the day when he filed pictures.

Asked about the reports at a briefing overnight, US State Department spokesman Mark Toner said he had no information to share.

In his last tweet on Tuesday, Hetherington wrote, "In besieged Libyan city of Misrata. Indiscriminate shelling by Qaddafi forces. No sign of NATO."