Journalists Killed in Libya, News Breaks on Facebook

When the first Western photojournalists covering the conflict in Libya were killed Wednesday, the world found out about it through Facebook and Twitter. Now the Facebook page of one of the photographers has become a defacto memorial for the online community to grieve his death and honor his life.

Oscar-nominated photographer and filmmaker, Tim Hetherington, 40, and Pulitzer Prize-nominated Getty Images photojournalist Chris Hondros, 41, were killed by a mortar attack in the besieged Libyan city of Misrata. Two other photographers, Guy Martin and Michael Brown were seriously injured in the same shelling. Martin remains in a critical condition and Brown's injuries are reported not to be life-threatening.

Over the course of the day, Tim Hetherington's Facebook page became an impromptu memorial, with hundreds of condolences to his family and tributes to his work and memory. Friend and commenter Lorena Turner's message sums up the thoughts of the photography community: "Let's celebrate his contribution to our understanding of war and the complex interactions within it. Tim's loss will be felt by everyone with an eye and mind that is engaged in the world."

First mention of Hetherington and Hondros' deaths surfaced around 9:30 a.m. PST through Facebook updates by fellow photographer Andre Liohn, who was with Hetherington in a Misrata hospital. "Sad news Tim Hetherington died in Misrata now when covering the front line. Chris Hondros is in a serious status," wrote Liohn.

Within minutes, in search of more information, friends and colleagues had shared and tweeted Liohn's words. All hoped that the news was inaccurate, a wayward rumor, a mistake or even a sick joke -- any reality other than Hetherington's passing. Simultaneously, conflicting statements about whether Hondros was alive circulated.

Tweeting slowed. Short on confirmed information, admirers and close friends withdrew from keyboards and asked if Hetherington's family had been informed. If he wasn't dead, this was an injurious rumor to avoid. If he had been killed, then the Twitter and Facebook users were messengers of Hetherington's death notice.

It was a demonstration of social networking's strength to disseminate information and its limitations in verifying fact.

At approximately, 10:30 a.m. PST, news outlets confirmed the death of Tim Hetherington. Soon after, Hondros' death from brain damage was also confirmed.

U.S. soldiers and the subjects of the Oscar-nominated film Restrepo, co-directed by Hetherington, also paid tribute with notes to Tim on his personal Facebook page:

"As a Korengal vet I am proud of the work you did with Vanity Fair and Restrepo by bringing the story of the solders from the valley into the public eye."

"Tim, the things you have done for every soldier by the use of your camera will forever echo in history. Your results are indescribable. Thank you. May you rest in peace brother. Sky Soldiers!"

"Tim, thanks for sharing Battle Company's story with world ... you were a great friend to all of us. You will be missed."

"This nation and all military families owes you a debt of gratitude for your incredible work. Those of us who were with you in the Korengal were blessed to have been in the presence of such a great man. Your will never be forgotten. RIP brother."

"Thank you for all you did for Battle Company 2/503 IN (ABN). You were such a great photographer."

"RIP good buddy. I'll never forget our late night talks on top of the hooch at Restrepo. Miss you already. I can't believe this."

Facebook has a policy to "memorialize" accounts belonging to the deceased. Memorializing "sets privacy so that only confirmed friends can see the profile or locate it in search. Additionally, the profile will no longer appear in the Suggestions section of the homepage. The Wall, however, remains so that friends and family can leave posts in remembrance."

The memorialized page remains unless immediate family members request the total removal of a loved one’s account. In such an instance, the account is taken down by Facebook and no longer viewable.

Today the the bodies of Hetherington and Hondros were transferred from Misrata to the rebel stronghold of Benghazi aboard the Ionian Spirit, an aid ship that had delivered food and medicine to Misrata on Wednesday. Representatives from the United States and Britain are in Benghazi to take custody of the bodies and to arrange their transport from Libya.

Hetherington and Hondros are not the first journalist casualties in the Libyan conflict. On March 13, Al-Jazeera cameraman Ali Hassan al-Jaber was killed by an unknown gunman in an ambush as he traveled by car to Benghazi. Mohammad Nabbous, a reporter for Libya Alhurra TV died in Benghazi on March 19.

Memorials, obituaries and photographs

Photojournalists in Libya Injured, Killed (The Atlantic)
Photojournalists Hetherington, Hondros dead in Libya (Committee to Protect Journalists)

Tim Hetherington:

In Memoriam: Tim Hetherington (The New Yorker)
Tim Hetherington - 1970-2011 (Iconic Photos)
Tim Hetherington Remembered__ __(The Guardian)
Photographer, Filmmaker Tim Hetherington Killed in Libya (PBS)
Remembering Tim Hetherington Through Restrepo (LPV Magazine)
Tim Hetherington in Memoriam (TIME)

Chris Hondros:

Remembering Chris Hondros (Wall Street Journal)
Parting Glance: Chris Hondros (New York Times Lens Blog)
Chris Hondros - a retrospective in pictures (The Guardian)
Video: Chris Hondros, Life Behind the Lens (MSNBC)
Chris Hondros and Tim Hetherington (BagNewsNotes)
A Photojournalist Remembered (NPR)

Comment:

The Toll of Covering Conflict (NPR)

Top photo: Tim Hetherington at the World Press Photo Award exhibition in Zurich, Switzerland, 2008. AP.