Bob Woodruff injured by improvised explosive device in Iraq
{{date|January 29, 2006}}
[[Image:Abc woodruff vargas 3.jpg|thumb|Bob Woodruff with  fellow ''World News Tonight'' co-anchor [[w:Elizabeth Vargas|Elizabeth Vargas]]]]
[[w:ABC News|''ABC News'']] anchorman [[wikipedia:Bob_Woodruff|Bob Woodruff]] and his camera operator Doug Vogt have been seriously injured in an explosion. Early reports indicate that both men sustained head injuries in the blast.

Woodruff was evacuated to the Balad Airbase, 68 kilometers north of [[w:Baghdad|Baghdad]] and is currently undergoing surgery. "Bob and Doug are in serious condition and are being treated at a U.S. military hospital in Iraq," ABC said in a statement. 

Reports say Woodruff was taping a report inside an Iraqi mechanized military vehicle near Taji, Iraq when the vehicle ran over and detonated an [[w:Improvised explosive device|improvised explosive device]]. ABC also reports that exchanges of small arms fire took place shortly after the explosion. [[w:MSNBC|''MSNBC'']] reports that Woodruff and Vogt were wearing body armor and helmets when the explosion occurred, measures that may turn out to have saved their lives. The [[w:Associated_Press|''Associated Press'']] is reporting that the two men were standing in the hatch of the vehicle at the time of the explosion, and that no other people were injured.

Woodruff and Vogt had been embedded with the 4th Infantry Division that was accompanying an Iraqi Army unit.

ABC also said that both Woodruff and Vogt were wearing body armor and helmets.

The U.S. military headquarters in Baghdad has confirmed the attack took place. However, no further information has been made available.

Vogt, a 46-year-old [[Canada|Canadian]] based in [[France]], is an [[w:Emmy|Emmy]]-award winning cameraman for ABC News with 25 years of experience.

According to the [[w:Committee to Protect Journalists|Committee to Protect Journalists]], 61 journalists have been killed in the line of duty in Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.

Woodruff became the permanent co-anchor of ABC's ''[[w:World News Tonight|World News Tonight]]'', with [[w:Elizabeth Vargas|Elizabeth Vargas]] on January 3, 2006, replacing the late [[w:Peter Jennings|Peter Jennings]].

==Sources==
*{{source|url=http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=1554006|title=ABC's Woodruff, Cameraman Injured in Iraq|author=Deepti Hajela|pub=ABC News (US)|date=January 29, 2006}}
*{{source|url=http://msnbc.msn.com/id/11086342/|title=ABC's Bob Woodruff seriously injured in Iraq|author=|pub=MSNBC|date=January 29, 2006}}
*{{source|url=http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N29196370.htm|title=U.S. journalists seriously injured in Iraq|author=|pub=Reuters|date=January 29, 2006}}
*{{source|url=http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=nation_world&id=3855686|title=ABC Anchor Hurt in Iraq|author=|pub=ABC News (US)|date=January 29, 2006}}
*{{source|url=http://www.canada.com/topics/news/world/story.html?id=178f6f24-a982-4553-b874-dad31f4f5b27&k=50224|title=Canadian cameraman and ABC News co-anchor Woodruff hurt in Iraq blast|author=|pub=Canadian Press|date=January 29, 2006}}
*{{source|url=http://apnews.myway.com/article/20060129/D8FEECR84.html|title=ABC's Woodruff, Cameraman Injured in Iraq|author=David Bauder|pub=Associated Press|date=January 29, 2006}}
*{{source|url=http://www.cpj.org/Briefings/Iraq/Iraq_danger.html|title=Iraq:Journalists in Danger|author=|pub=Committee to Protect Journalists|date=January 29, 2006}}
*{{source|url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Woodruff|title=Bob Woodruff|author=|pub=Wikipedia|date=January 29, 2006}}

==External links==
*[http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/iraq/balad-ab.htm Balad Airbase]

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[[category:United States]]
[[category:Iraq]]
[[category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[category:Journalism]]
[[Category:Elizabeth Vargas]]
[[Category:ABC News (United States)]]
Elizabeth Vargas
ABC News anchorman Bob Woodruff and his camera operator Doug Vogt have been seriously injured in an explosion. Early reports indicate that both men sustained head injuries in the blast.

Woodruff was evacuated to the Balad Airbase, 68 kilometers north of Baghdad and is currently undergoing surgery. "Bob and Doug are in serious condition and are being treated at a U.S. military hospital in Iraq," ABC said in a statement. 

Reports say Woodruff was taping a report inside an Iraqi mechanized military vehicle near Taji, Iraq when the vehicle ran over and detonated an improvised explosive device. ABC also reports that exchanges of small arms fire took place shortly after the explosion. MSNBC reports that Woodruff and Vogt were wearing body armor and helmets when the explosion occurred, measures that may turn out to have saved their lives. The Associated Press is reporting that the two men were standing in the hatch of the vehicle at the time of the explosion, and that no other people were injured.

Woodruff and Vogt had been embedded with the 4th Infantry Division that was accompanying an Iraqi Army unit.

ABC also said that both Woodruff and Vogt were wearing body armor and helmets.

The U.S. military headquarters in Baghdad has confirmed the attack took place. However, no further information has been made available.

Vogt, a 46-year-old Canadian based in France, is an Emmy-award winning cameraman for ABC News with 25 years of experience.

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, 61 journalists have been killed in the line of duty in Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.

Woodruff became the permanent co-anchor of ABC's World News Tonight, with Elizabeth Vargas on January 3, 2006, replacing the late Peter Jennings.


category:United States
category:Iraq
category:Politics and conflicts
category:Journalism
Elizabeth Vargas ABC News (United States)