Sunday Mirror journalist killed in Afghanistan
Sunday Mirror journalist is killed and his photographer seriously injured in Afghanistan
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By Matt Hallam. |  |
Sunday, 10, Jan 2010 05:49
By Sarah Garrod.
A journalist working for the Sunday Mirror has been killed while reporting from Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence has confirmed.
Rupert Hamer, the newspaper's defence correspondent, was killed when an improvised explosive device (IED) struck the vehicle he was travelling in.
Mr Hamer's photographer, Philip Coburn, is believed to be in a serious but stable condition following the attack.
The MoD said one US Marine and a member of the Afghan National Army were also killed in the attack, which took place on a patrol to the north-west of Nawa. Mr Hamer and Mr Coburn were embedded with the US Marine Corps when the attack happened.
The MoD said that despite the best efforts of medics at the scene Mr Hamer died of his wounds. Four US Marines were also left seriously injured.
Defence secretary Bob Ainsworth, said: "Both Rupert Hamer and Phil Coburn accompanied me on my most recent trip to Afghanistan. I got to know them well and I was impressed by their hard work and professionalism.
"My thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the families, friends and colleagues of both men at this extremely distressing time.
"As a defence correspondent, Rupert Hamer was in regular contact with press officers at the MoD. I know they had great respect for his work and the news of his death has been met with great sadness amongst us all.
"In recent weeks we worked closely with Rupert on a special Christmas edition of the Sunday Mirror, containing messages for deployed personnel from their loved ones.
"The paper was very well received by troops on the ground and its success is testament both to Rupert's hard work and his understanding of service personnel.
"The sacrifice of service personnel is well documented and rightly respected, but this news demonstrates the risks also faced by journalists who keep the public informed of events on the front line."