New York, January 29, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply concerned about ABC World News Tonight co-anchor Bob Woodruff and ABC cameraman Doug Vogt who were seriously wounded in a bomb attack while traveling with the Iraqi army today near Baghdad.
The two journalists were embedded with the U.S. military’s 4th Infantry Division accompanying an Iraqi army unit near Taji, 12 miles (19 kilometers) north of Baghdad, when an improvised explosive device detonated, ABC News President David Westin said. Both men were in a serious condition and being treated at a U.S. military hospital in Iraq, Westin said in a statement. ABC News reported that Woodruff and Vogt had suffered head injuries from shrapnel.
“Our thoughts go out to Bob and Doug, their families and friends,” said CPJ Executive Director Ann Cooper. “We wish them both a full and speedy recovery. This attack is a reminder of just how dangerous Iraq is for all journalists whether they are foreign or Iraqi, embedded or non-embedded.”
At least 61 journalists and 23 media support staff have been killed for their work in Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion of March 2003. Many others have been wounded or narrowly escaped death. Four of the 61 journalists killed were embedded with military forces at the time. The remainder were non-embedded.
Woodruff, 44, became co-anchor of ABC News’ “World News Tonight” with Elizabeth Vargas earlier this month, replacing the late Peter Jennings.
Vogt, 46, is a three-time Emmy award winning cameraman from Canada who has spent the last 20 years based in Europe covering global events for CBC, BBC and now exclusively for ABC News. He lives in Aix-en-Provence, France, The Associated Press reported.
