The International Federation of Journalists today mourns the tragic death of photojournalists Tim Hetherington and Chris Hondros, killed by a mortar attack in the besieged Libyan city of Misrata, on Wednesday 20 April.

Two other photojournalists, Guy Martin and Michael Christopher Brown, were both seriously injured in by the same mortar fire along Tripoli Street at the heart of the fight between pro-Gaddafi forces and the rebels for control of Misrata.

"The death of Hetherington and Hondros are a terrible loss to their families and colleagues," said Jim Boumelha, IFJ President. "Their deaths and the wounding of two other photographers have brought home the serious risks faced by journalists when getting close to the story."

Tim Hetherington had won several distinguished prizes, including the World Press Photo Award in 2007, for his work covering conflicts over the last decade. He was also jointly responsible for the highly acclaimed Afghan war Documentary, Restrepo.

Chris Hondros, a former nominee for the Pulitzer Prize, also won the 2006 Gold Medal Robert Capa for his "exceptional courage and initiative" in Iraq.

"Covering Libya has been extremely treacherous for all journalists, many with a long experience of working in dangerous environments. They risked arrest, beating, detention and now death to bring into the public eye the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Misrata. We urge a full examination of the circumstances of their deaths and review of internal security procedures" added Boumelha.

For more information, please contact IFJ on + 32 2 235 22 00
The IFJ represents more than 600.000 members in 131 countries