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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Afghan blast kills correspondent | Afghan blast kills correspondent |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| A British journalist has been killed in an explosion in southern Afghanistan, the UK's Ministry of Defence has said. | A British journalist has been killed in an explosion in southern Afghanistan, the UK's Ministry of Defence has said. |
| Sunday Mirror defence correspondent Rupert Hamer, 39, was embedded with the US Marine Corps when his vehicle was hit by a bomb near Nawa in Helmand. | Sunday Mirror defence correspondent Rupert Hamer, 39, was embedded with the US Marine Corps when his vehicle was hit by a bomb near Nawa in Helmand. |
| The father-of-three's Mirror colleague, photographer Philip Coburn, 43, is in a serious but stable condition. | The father-of-three's Mirror colleague, photographer Philip Coburn, 43, is in a serious but stable condition. |
| A US Marine and an Afghan soldier were also killed in the blast on Saturday. Four US Marines were seriously injured. | A US Marine and an Afghan soldier were also killed in the blast on Saturday. Four US Marines were seriously injured. |
| The journalists had flown to the region on New Year's Eve for a month-long assignment. | The journalists had flown to the region on New Year's Eve for a month-long assignment. |
| 'Hugely popular' | 'Hugely popular' |
| Mr Hamer had been a Sunday Mirror journalist for 12 years, and was married with children aged six, five and 19 months. | Mr Hamer had been a Sunday Mirror journalist for 12 years, and was married with children aged six, five and 19 months. |
| Sunday Mirror editor Tina Weaver said: "Rupert believed that the only place to report a war was from the front line, and as our defence correspondent he wanted to be embedded with the US Marines at the start of their vital surge into southern Afghanistan." | Sunday Mirror editor Tina Weaver said: "Rupert believed that the only place to report a war was from the front line, and as our defence correspondent he wanted to be embedded with the US Marines at the start of their vital surge into southern Afghanistan." |
| She added: "Affectionately known as Corporal Hamer in the office, he was a gregarious figure, a wonderful friend who was hugely popular with his colleagues." | She added: "Affectionately known as Corporal Hamer in the office, he was a gregarious figure, a wonderful friend who was hugely popular with his colleagues." |
| UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he was "deeply saddened by this tragic news". | UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he was "deeply saddened by this tragic news". |
| He said: "My heartfelt thoughts and sympathies are with the families, friends and colleagues of Rupert and Philip. | He said: "My heartfelt thoughts and sympathies are with the families, friends and colleagues of Rupert and Philip. |
| "Their courage, skill and dedication to reporting from the frontline was incredibly important and ensured that the world could see and read about our heroic troops. | "Their courage, skill and dedication to reporting from the frontline was incredibly important and ensured that the world could see and read about our heroic troops. |
| "Their professionalism and commitment to our forces will not be forgotten." | "Their professionalism and commitment to our forces will not be forgotten." |
| Philip Coburn was seriously injured in the explosion | Philip Coburn was seriously injured in the explosion |
| A former commander of British forces in Afghanistan, Col Richard Kemp, knew Mr Hamer and said he had worked very closely with the military. | A former commander of British forces in Afghanistan, Col Richard Kemp, knew Mr Hamer and said he had worked very closely with the military. |
| He said: "You won't hear a bad word said about him. He was extremely well liked and well respected as a journalist, he was fearless in his reporting, he wouldn't let anybody off the hook easily, but he also understood the way the military worked. | He said: "You won't hear a bad word said about him. He was extremely well liked and well respected as a journalist, he was fearless in his reporting, he wouldn't let anybody off the hook easily, but he also understood the way the military worked. |
| "He had great empathy with soldiers in particular on the ground and some of the work he did for the Sunday Mirror without a shadow of a doubt helped improve the lot of the soldier who was fighting in Afghanistan and elsewhere." | "He had great empathy with soldiers in particular on the ground and some of the work he did for the Sunday Mirror without a shadow of a doubt helped improve the lot of the soldier who was fighting in Afghanistan and elsewhere." |
| 'Great respect' | 'Great respect' |
| Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth said Mr Hamer and Mr Coburn had accompanied him on his most recent trip to Afghanistan. | Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth said Mr Hamer and Mr Coburn had accompanied him on his most recent trip to Afghanistan. |
| "I got to know them well and I was impressed by their hard work and professionalism," he said. | "I got to know them well and I was impressed by their hard work and professionalism," he said. |
| "My thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the families, friends and colleagues of both men at this extremely distressing time." | "My thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the families, friends and colleagues of both men at this extremely distressing time." |
| Mr Hamer is the second foreign journalist to be killed in Afghanistan in recent weeks. | Mr Hamer is the second foreign journalist to be killed in Afghanistan in recent weeks. |
| Michelle Lang, 34, from Canada's Calgary Herald, died along with four Canadian soldiers in a roadside bomb attack in December. | Michelle Lang, 34, from Canada's Calgary Herald, died along with four Canadian soldiers in a roadside bomb attack in December. |