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CNN Live Sunday
Celebrated French Journalist Killed by U.S. Tank During Live Fire Exercise
Aired December 22, 2002 - 17:06 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: Now to the story of the French journalist who died after being hit by a U.S. tank in Kuwait. Patrick Bourrat was one of the reporters covering a large-scale U.S. live fire exercise going on in Kuwait, just miles from the Iraq border. CNN's Ryan Chilcote was there when it happened, and he files this report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In the middle of the U.S. Army's live fire exercise, a medic can be heard just barely calling out "I have got a real world medivac." Out of our view, closer to the action, Patrick Bourrat, one of France's most celebrated journalists, seen here covering the exercise before the accident, was hit by a tank. Bernard Guerni, his cameraman and long-time friend, was with him when it happened. Today he was relaying the news.
BERNARD GUERNI, BOURRAT'S CAMERAMAN (through translator): I heard some shouting and saw Patrick lying on some barbed wire. He thought that the tank was going to hit me, so he wanted to warn me. But the tank hit him instead.
CHILCOTE: Bourrat was covering the U.S. Army's largest live fire exercise in the Persian Gulf since the Gulf War. The goal of that exercise, for the division's leadership to practice moving 4,000 troops in nearly 150 armored vehicles around on the battlefield while giving the press as close to full access as possible.
Patrick had covered all the major conflicts of the last five years, including Afghanistan. He was ready to cover this one.
GUERNI (through translator): He had a difficult time in his life. In Moscow he lost a cameraman what he was killed by a sniper. That really had an impact on him and he was afraid for me. Maybe that's why he rushed towards me.
CHILCOTE: Today, colleagues sat deciphering Patrick's field notes, going through their video to prepare his final story, a memorial to him.
(on camera): U.S. military is investigating the accident, but regardless of what they find, Patrick Bourrat has become the first journalist to die in a war that hasn't even started yet.
Ryan Chilcote, CNN, Kuwait.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Live Fire Exercise>
Aired December 22, 2002 - 17:06 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: Now to the story of the French journalist who died after being hit by a U.S. tank in Kuwait. Patrick Bourrat was one of the reporters covering a large-scale U.S. live fire exercise going on in Kuwait, just miles from the Iraq border. CNN's Ryan Chilcote was there when it happened, and he files this report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In the middle of the U.S. Army's live fire exercise, a medic can be heard just barely calling out "I have got a real world medivac." Out of our view, closer to the action, Patrick Bourrat, one of France's most celebrated journalists, seen here covering the exercise before the accident, was hit by a tank. Bernard Guerni, his cameraman and long-time friend, was with him when it happened. Today he was relaying the news.
BERNARD GUERNI, BOURRAT'S CAMERAMAN (through translator): I heard some shouting and saw Patrick lying on some barbed wire. He thought that the tank was going to hit me, so he wanted to warn me. But the tank hit him instead.
CHILCOTE: Bourrat was covering the U.S. Army's largest live fire exercise in the Persian Gulf since the Gulf War. The goal of that exercise, for the division's leadership to practice moving 4,000 troops in nearly 150 armored vehicles around on the battlefield while giving the press as close to full access as possible.
Patrick had covered all the major conflicts of the last five years, including Afghanistan. He was ready to cover this one.
GUERNI (through translator): He had a difficult time in his life. In Moscow he lost a cameraman what he was killed by a sniper. That really had an impact on him and he was afraid for me. Maybe that's why he rushed towards me.
CHILCOTE: Today, colleagues sat deciphering Patrick's field notes, going through their video to prepare his final story, a memorial to him.
(on camera): U.S. military is investigating the accident, but regardless of what they find, Patrick Bourrat has become the first journalist to die in a war that hasn't even started yet.
Ryan Chilcote, CNN, Kuwait.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Live Fire Exercise>
