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Inspiring Photographers

Nachtwey hurt in Baghdad

by

Via Sree Sreenivasan of SAJA and several photographers and photo editors on the NPPA-L.

The intrepid photojournalist James Nachtwey and his colleague Michael Weisskopf were both hurt in a grenade attack on December 10, at about 9.30 p.m. They were traveling with US military personnel when their Humvee was assaulted.

Nachtwey, an award winning photojournalist, has covered a majority of the conflicts around the world. A documentary movie about his life, War Photographer, was nominated for an Oscar. He curiously describes himself as the anti-war photographer, hoping that the images he captures will convince the world of the sheer madness that wars ultimately are.

According to a Time press release, “Both Michael and Jim are in stable condition and awaiting transfer to a U.S. military hospital in Landstuhl, Germany.”

Weisskopf‘s quick thinking may have saved lives, but not his hand, as he tried to pitch the explosive out of the vehicle.

The New York Times and The Washington Post have also reported on this tragedy.

Associated Press
Dec. 11, 2003
Two Time magazine journalists wounded on patrol in Baghdad
By NIKO PRICE, Associated Press Writer

Associated Press writer Nick Wadhams, in New York, contributed to this report.

A Time magazine reporter suffered severe shrapnel wounds and lost his hand when he tried to throw away a grenade tossed into a Humvee he was riding in with a Time photographer and two U.S. soldiers, colleagues said
Thursday.

Time senior correspondent Michael Weisskopf and contributing photographer James Nachtwey were traveling with a U.S. Army patrol in Baghdad Wednesday night when the attack occurred, a statement from Time managing editor Jim
Kelly said.

The soldiers also were wounded, the U.S. military said, but gave no further information.

Time would not offer details on the incident. But a memo sent to Weisskopf's former colleagues at The Washington Post said he picked up the grenade and tossed it out of the Humvee. It exploded, blowing off his hand and wounding him in the chest and arms. The memo said Nachtwey received shrapnel wounds that were not as serious.

“According to people he works with at Time, he picked up the grenade and tossed it out, losing his right hand in the process while saving four lives,” the memo said.

A military spokesman said they were with a unit of the Army's 1st Armored Division.

The military official, who spoke only condition of anonymity, said one of the journalists was severely wounded and the other was slightly injured, but would not say which. Time said both were in stable condition and were awaiting transfer to a U.S. military hospital in Landstuhl, Germany.

The memo said Weisskopf's wife, Judith, had spoken with him and he was eager to return home. He was to return to Washington within a few days, the memo said.

Nachtwey is an award-winning photographer known for haunting images of war and poverty. He was the subject of a 2001 Oscar-nominated documentary, “War Photographer,” and has won many awards. This year he shared a $1
million Dan David prize for documenting “the apocalyptic events of our time.”

Weisskopf is an award-winning correspondent based in Washington. He covers national politics and investigations and was a finalist in the 1996 Pulitzer Prize for national reporting.

The Paris-based World Association of Newspapers has said that at least 16 journalists have been killed in Iraq this year. Many others have beenwounded.

In the last known incident, police said the editor of an independent newspaper in the northern city of Mosul was shot and killed on Oct. 28.

Seshu | Editor & Publisher

Seshu | Editor & Publisher

Seshu is an Avon, Connecticut based headshot photographer and family portrait photographer. He edits and publishes Tiffinbox and produces Tiffincast for photographers like you!