On 20th April 2011, war photographer Chris Hondros died in a Libyan hospital following injuries sustained from a rocket propelled grenade attack. He was working with Tim Hetherington, a colleague who also died in the attack.
Two other photographers received shrapnel wounds in the incident. Guy Martin, a 28-year-old from Britain, is in a serious condition after an operation on his spleen in Misrata. Michael Christopher Brown also remains in hospital.
Getty Images released a short statement immediately following news of their Hondros’ death saying:
Getty Images is deeply saddened to confirm the death of Staff Photographer Chris Hondros who has died of injuries while covering events in Libya on April 20th. Chris never shied away from the front line having covered the world’s major conflicts throughout his distinguished career and his work in Libya was no exception. We are working to support his family and his fiancée as they receive this difficult news, and are preparing to bring Chris back to his family and friends in the United States. He will be sorely missed.
Human Rights Watch reported that the bodies of Hetherington and Hondros, both in their forties, have been taken from Misrata to Benghazi by the International Organization for Migration and placed aboard the Ionian Spirit – a ship which is evacuating civilians from Misrata.
