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David Lammy has led tributes to The Independent’s award-winning war correspondent Kim Sengupta, who has died at the age of 68.
The foreign secretary, who described Kim as “brilliant and courageous”, was joined by dozens of international journalists, as well as the British Ministry of Defence, in paying tribute to the veteran reporter, who spent more than 30 years covering conflicts around the world.
“Saddened to hear that the brilliant and courageous war and diplomatic correspondent Kim Sengupta has died,” the politician wrote on X/Twitter. “His brave dispatches will not be forgotten and he will be sorely missed.”
The British Ministry of Defence described Kim as a “passionate journalist” who “will be sorely missed by all who worked with him”.
“We’re very saddened to hear the news of the passing of Kim, who was a dedicated and passionate journalist. He will be sorely missed by all who worked with him.”
Journalists from publications across the globe also praised Kim’s fearlessness and affability even when in the throes of conflict.
Christina Lamb, chief foreign correspondent for The Sunday Times, wrote: “Too sad to hear of the passing of dear friend Kim Sengupta. Not only was he a brilliant foreign correspondent but the loveliest man – someone you were always happy to run into on the road”.
She attached a picture of the pair “‘sneaking’ into Zimbabwe for the fall of [Robert] Mugabe in our funny hats”.
Martin Bell, the distinguished BBC war reporter turned MP, said: “Kim was the outstanding war reporter of his time, and for that matter mine.
“He was fearless, resourceful, persistent and totally lacking in self- regard, being notably sparing with the perpendicular pronoun. He was admired by colleagues and competitors to an extent unusual in his chosen field.
“He will be greatly missed by the Independent’s readers myself included.”
Orla Guerin, a senior international correspondent for BBC News, described Kim as “a quiet legend of our trade, always in the right place, always on the right story, and a gent”.
Her words were echoed by her BBC colleague and correspondent Quentin Sommerville. “We’ll miss you, Kim. One of a kind and much loved,” he wrote.
Lindsey Hilsum, Channel 4’s international editor, characterised Kim as “the funniest, most wonderful companion on the road”.
“We went to the same places for 25 years,” she wrote. “I cannot imagine what it will be like without him at the centre of our strange travelling journalistic caravan.”
Luke Harding, foreign correspondent for The Guardian, wrote: “RIP Kim Sengupta. A brilliant and brave reporter, curious and indomitable. I last saw him in May at an event on Afghanistan at the Frontline Club, discussing the fall of Kabul. Which, of course, he covered.”
And in an op-ed for The New Statesman, the magazine’s editor-in-chief Jason Cowley wrote that Kim was “a man of considerable charm and good humour”.
“He was an inspirational foreign and war correspondent of great courage, resilience, and determination.”
He added: “He had a rich, warm, deep voice and was a man of considerable charm and good humour. He loved newsrooms and newspapers and was invariably thinking about his next trip, the next report.”
US journalists also offered high praise for the veteran war correspondent.
Nick Paton Walsh, CNN’s chief international correspondent, described Kim as “highly entertaining”.
“Truly the best,” he wrote of Kim. “Whenever you met Kim you knew you were in the right place, and would be highly entertained. Incredible loss to our profession.”
Hannah Allam, a former bureau chief in Baghdad during the Iraq War, wrote: “Heartbroken that the legendary Kim Sengupta has passed.
“My favourite memory: We hitched a khat flight into Somalia in 2006 during the Islamic Courts Union takeover. As armed men drove us through the chaos, Kim looked out the window & said calmly: ‘It’s bloody Mad Max out there.’”
ABC News correspondent Tom Soufi Burridge wrote: “Hear hear and gutted to hear this. I met Kim in Ukraine on multiple occasions and there was never any pretence. He was a foreign news bigwig, but he was calm, gracious and down to earth. His curiosity for everything, including the people he was with, shone through.”
Declan Walsh, chief Africa correspondent for the New York Times, wrote: “Sad to learn of the death of former colleague Kim Sengupta of The Independent, a spirited correspondent of many talents and always enormous fun. RIP.”
