Missing ITN crew may have come under 'friendly fire'
Staff and agencies
Saturday March 22, 2003
Missing British TV reporter Terry Lloyd and two of his ITN news crew may have been hit by "friendly fire" from coalition forces in Iraq, it was reported today.
Cameraman Fred Nerac and local translator Hussein Othman were also missing after the incident which happened as they were trying to get to the front at Basra.
Another cameraman, Daniel Demoustier, was injured as the crew drove towards the key southern city in two vehicles, but was able to get to safety.
He told Barbara Jones of the Mail on Sunday, who eventually rescued him, that they had been fired on by tanks from the coalition forces at Iman Anas, while they were trying to drive away from a group of Iraqi soldiers.
"Immediately the allied tanks started heavy firing directly at us. Rounds were coming straight at the Jeep, smashing the windows and puncturing holes in the bodywork," he was quoted as saying.
"Then the whole car was on fire. We were enveloped in flames. It was terrifying.
"I'm so angry that we were fired on by the allies. The Iraqis must have been their real target but I'm sure they were surrendering - and anyway they were all dead within minutes."
The Ministry of Defence said tonight that it was still not clear what had happened to Mr Lloyd and his colleagues.
ITN said it was increasingly concerned about the fate of the three men.
"Fourteen hours after the incident we still have no conclusive evidence as to the whereabouts of the three missing men," an ITN statement said.
"However, such evidence as we do have has given us increased cause for concern.
"As soon as we have conclusive information ITN will first inform the families and then make a further announcement."
Defence sources said that the ITN team were believed to have passed through a number of military checkpoints, where they were advised to turn back but chose to carry on.
Mr Demoustier acknowledged that the crew had passed a US mortar position where they saw US troops. "It was worrying but at the checkpoints all the soldiers had been very casual. Our Jeep was marked clearly with the letters TV all over it. We felt we would be safe," he told Ms Jones.
Mr Lloyd, 51, started work at ITN as a reporter for Central Television in 1983, based in the East Midlands, before moving on to general news coverage.
He was the first reporter inside the Iraqi town of Halabja after the Saddam Hussein regime dropped a chemical bomb in 1988, killing 5,000 Kurds. He has also reported from Kosovo, Bosnia and Yugoslavia, as well as covering major sporting events.
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