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| Iraq |
| Three from British TV Crew Missing in Iraq |
| 2003-03-22 |
| British TV company ITN said on Saturday three members of a crew were missing after coming under fire in Iraq on their way to the southern city of Basra. ITN named the three as correspondent Terry Lloyd and colleagues Fred Nerac and Hussein Othman from its ITV News unit. "An ITV News crew came under fire at Iman Anas, near Basra, as they drove toward the city in two vehicles," ITN said in a statement. "One of the crew, Daniel Demoustier, was injured but was able to get to safety. He was not able to see what happened to his colleagues... At present, they are still missing." That's the bad part about "embedding." If the news guys are up front with the shooters, they're taking the same chances as the shooters, but without the training basis. British and Iraqi forces were in the area at the time, the ITN statement said. "Coalition and Iraqi military sources have been unable to confirm their whereabouts. Every effort is being made to establish what happened." |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |
| #8 At the Pentagon press conference this afternoon, the military spokesperson indicated that these reporters were not embedded (which is also implied by the story). She strongly recommended that reporters stay out of areas where fighting is going on or might go on. One of the reporters wanted to know what the military was doing to be sure these independent roving journalists didn't get hit by coalition fire. She didn't seem to think that was our responsibility, somehow! Wonder why??? |
| Posted by: Kathy 2003-03-22 17:13:35 |
| #7 According to ITV News (ITN), the fire might have come from British troops, presumably believing the vehicles were part of an Iraqi attack. The Iraqis were obviously armed. Shame the journalists might have run into the most idiotic surrendering Iraqis in town. |
| Posted by: Bulldog 2003-03-22 17:12:46 |
| #6 Great. Reccon by media. Environmentally and civilian friendly, and promotes troop safety. Be my guest, just drive through my position and flush out the opfor. |
| Posted by: Don 2003-03-22 15:51:20 |
| #5 I think that "thumb's up" sign was the Iraqi version, the one that means "f--- you." Journalists like to think they're untouchable but it looks like to the fighting Iraqis they're just another carload of honky crackers. |
| Posted by: Scooter McGruder 2003-03-22 12:31:26 |
| #4 Update from BBC: ...Another member of the team, cameraman Daniel Demoustier, was able to reach safety having suffered minor injuries. He was not able to see what happened to his colleagues and said: "I'm really praying that they're still okay." The team had been travelling in two vehicles towards Iraq's second city, the scene of heavy fighting. ITV News said: "There were British and Iraqi forces in the area at the time. Coalition and Iraqi military sources have been unable to confirm their whereabouts. Every effort is being made to establish what happened." Mr Demoustier, who had a heavy black eye and cuts to his face, said the ITV crew had passed many Iraqi civilians out on the streets and their cars on the road. "We saw tanks burning, we saw trucks burning, helmets, lots of signs of heavy fighting from probably last night. "But it looked like it was pretty under control now and so you move step by step and we put big TV signs on the car." After passing British and US positions Mr Demoustier saw Iraqi forces approaching and turned his vehicle around when he noticed they were still armed. Two Iraqi vehicles followed them, the occupants making "thumbs up" signs, which Mr Demoustier took to mean they wanted to surrender using them as cover. But at that same moment very heavy gunfire started towards my car, from the right hand side. I had to duck down straight away, windows were exploding inside the car. In a split second I looked to my right side and the right door where my correspondent (Terry Lloyd) was open and he was not there anymore," he said. Mr Demoustier, who survived by jumping into a ditch just before the oil covered vehicle exploded, said he hoped his colleagues escaped in a similar way. "I saw another press vehicle - colleagues from the Mail on Sunday - and they just arrived on the scene and I took a run to that car and they got me out," he added. |
| Posted by: Bulldog 2003-03-22 11:07:01 |
| #3 Were they in fact "imbedded"? Or were they just free-lancing? The story's unclear. It seems to me that, had they been imbedded with troops, but story would have said so. |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2003-03-22 10:12:19 |
| #2 According to ITV News (ITN), the fire might have come from British troops, presumably believing the vehicles were part of an Iraqi attack. The Iraqis were obviously armed. Shame the journalists might have run into the most idiotic surrendering Iraqis in town. |
| Posted by: Bulldog 3/22/2003 5:12:46 PM |
| #1 Great. Reccon by media. Environmentally and civilian friendly, and promotes troop safety. Be my guest, just drive through my position and flush out the opfor. |
| Posted by: Don 3/22/2003 3:51:20 PM |