Veteran newsman Bob Simon dies in road accident

Washington, Feb 12 (IANS/EFE) CBS News correspondent Bob Simon, who survived war zones and a spell in captivity in Iraq, died in a traffic accident in New York. He was 73.

Simon, perhaps best-known as a member of the "60 Minutes" team, was riding in a hired car that which hit another vehicle stopped at a traffic light on the west side of Manhattan around 6.45 p.m. Wednesday, the New York Police said.

The collision sent Simon's car careening into metal lane barriers.

Simon was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

The 44-year-old driver of the hired car was in stable condition at the Bellevue Hospital, while the driver of the other vehicle did not suffer any injuries.

Police are investigating the cause of accident.

"It is such a tragedy made worse because we lost him in a car accident, a man who has escaped more difficult situations than almost any journalist in modern times," CBS News chairman and "60 Minutes" executive producer Jeffrey Fager said in a statement.

With 27 Emmy awards, Simon reported on major international conflicts since the 1970s and spent 40 days as a prisoner in Iraq during the 1991 Gulf War.

Simon began his career with CBS News in 1967 as a reporter in New York.

One of the highlights of his career was his stint in Saigon during the final stages of the Vietnam War, which earned him an Overseas Press Club Award.

He joined "60 Minutes" in 1996.

Last Sunday's broadcast of the newsmagazine programme included Simon's interview with Ava DuVernay, director of the Oscar-nominated film "Selma."

--IANS/EFE

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