World

Rupert Hamer, Journalist killed in blast in Afghanistan

by Karl Gotthardt - albertacowpoke | January 10, 2010 at 05:54 am

527 views | 30 Recommendations | 6 comments

A British journalist, Rupert Hamer, 39, embedded with the U.S. Marines in Helmand Province, Afghanistan was killed after the vehicle they were riding in struck an IED.

Rupert Hamer worked for Britain's Sunday Mirror. A week ago Michelle Lang, a journalist with the Calgary Herald was killed by an IED in Kandahar City.

Rupert Hamer, who was embedded with U.S. Forces, was accompanying a patrol to the north west of Nawa in Helmand province. Rupert Hamer had only been in Afghanistan for one week. He was to remain there for one month.

A photographer, traveling with Hamer, Philip Coburn, 43, was injured during the blast. Colburn remains in serious but stable condition. A U.S. soldier and a member of the Afghan National Army were also killed during the attack. Four other Marines were injured.

A Rupert Hamer RIP Facebook Group has been established.

LONDON (Reuters) - A journalist for Britain's Sunday Mirror has been killed in an explosion in Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence said Sunday.

It said Rupert Hamer, who was embedded with the U.S. Marine Corps, was accompanying a petrol to the north-west of Nawa in Helmand province when the vehicle he was in struck an improvised explosive device.

A Sunday Mirror photographer, Philip Coburn, was wounded in the attack and remains in a stable but serious condition, the MOD said.

One U.S. Marine and a member of the Afghan National Army were also killed in the explosion.

"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 U.S. marines at the start of their vital surge into southern Afghanistan," Sunday Mirror Editor Tina Weaver said in a statement.

Hamer is survived by his wife Helen and three young children, the paper said.

British Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth said Hamer and Coburn accompanied him on his most recent trip to Afghanistan and that he 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," Ainsworth said.

1 See all footage | View Slideshow

Share: email story | add to any | | facebook | stumbleupon

recommend This comment thread is now closed

YankeeJim

at 06:23 on January 10th, 2010

His bravery and commitment to journalism makes one want to head to the front. Though that would take a lot more stamina than I have remaining. Journalists must keep up with the Marines and that is a challenge unto itself.

Karl Gotthardt - albertacowpoke

at 06:31 on January 10th, 2010

Thanks for your comments Jim. It does take courage for a journalist to get out their with the grunts and see what job they;re doing.

stejeb

at 10:08 on January 10th, 2010

The journalists who go out to places like this and tell us what is really going on are a brave lot. The terrorists wouldn't see it this way, but they do themselves, the civilians in the region and their various causes a serious dis-service by killing the very people out there to report impartially on the actions and also the plight of the people in the area.

We're all supposed to feel sympathy for civilians killed in actions directed at miltants operating in areas. Well if they want to get the full measure of my sympathy, they also have to stop hitting targets like these, non-combatant casualties are just as repugnant to us as they are to them, and killing journalists who will have, and many have shown, no compunction in reporting our armed forces in a negative light when the situation demands does not help to end the problems.

As usual, I write a sentence like that and look at it, and the same question pops to mind.....do the militants have any desire to see an end?

Karl Gotthardt - albertacowpoke

at 10:15 on January 10th, 2010

A relevant question and point stejeb. These reporters have a tendency to tell both sides of the story without bias. Their commitment is invaluable in bringing both sides of the story to us.