British Sunday newspaper journalist killed by roadside bomb in Afghanistan

Danger zone: A U.S. Marine dodges an IED blast in Afghanistan (file picture)

Ruper Hamer: Killed in a blast while embedded with U.S. Marine Corps

A British journalist was killed in an explosion in Afghanistan yesterday, the Ministry of Defence announced today.

Father-of-three Rupert Hamer, the Sunday Mirror's defence correspondent, died of his wounds at the scene north-west of Nawa.

The newspaper's photographer, Philip Coburn, was injured in the blast, which also killed a US Marine and an Afghan soldier.

Mr Coburn, who is in a serious but stable condition, and Mr Hamer, 39, were embedded with the U.S. Marine Corps when they were caught in the explosion.

They were accompanying a patrol when their vehicle struck an improvised explosive device.

Mr Hamer is the first British journalist to die during the Afghanistan conflict and the first correspondent to be killed in a warzone since ITN reporter Terry Lloyd in Iraq in 2003.

The journalist, who was known as 'Corporal Hamer' by colleagues, was making his fifth trip to Afghanistan when he died.

Since become the Sunday Mirror's defence correspondent in 2004, Mr Hamer had also covered the armed forces across the Middle East and central Asia, the Oman, Bahrain, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Today Prime Minister Gordon Brown said: ‘I was deeply saddened by this tragic news, and 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 professionalism and commitment to our forces will not be forgotten.’

Coburn, 43, and Hamer flew to the region on New Year's Eve on a trip that was to have lasted a month, the Sunday Mirror said.

Hamer, who was married to Helen, had three children, aged six, five and 19 months.

He had worked for the newspaper for 12 years and colleagues paid tribute to a 'fine, fearless and skilled writer'.

Coburn has been at the Sunday Mirror for eight years, covering stories including Hurricane Katrina.

Sunday Mirror editor Tina Weaver said: 'Rupert believed that the only place to report a war was from the frontline, and as our defence correspondent he wanted to be embedded with the US marines at the start of their vital surge into southern Afghanistan.

'He left on New Year's Eve with photographer Phil Coburn, determined to be there from the start.

'He was a seasoned, highly-regarded and brave journalist who had reported from both Iraq and Afghanistan on many occasions.

'It was his fifth trip to Afghanistan, and he had forged friendships with a number of the soldiers serving out there.'

He had organised a special Christmas newspaper produced for the troops packed with messages from loved ones, which was flown out by the RAF three weeks ago, she said.

'He was a fine, fearless, and skilled writer who joined the paper 12 years ago,' 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.

'Above all he was devoted to his wife Helen and their three young children.

'Our thoughts and condolences are with Helen, his father Nick, who he was so close to, and the children he was so proud of.'

She described Coburn as a 'consummate all round journalist and brilliant photographer'.

She added: 'He and Rupert made a dedicated team, working together around the world, sacrificing personal comfort countless times to record the reality of wars.

'We wish Phil a speedy recovery and send our warmest wishes to his partner and family.'

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 frontline.'

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