Johannesburg - Messages of support poured in via the social media website Facebook on Thursday for South African photographer Anton Hammerl, who was reportedly taken hostage in Libya.
The GlobalPost news site reported that Hammerl was taken hostage with three other foreign journalists while reporting on the outskirts of Brega by forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.
The Facebook messages addressed to Hammerl or his wife Penny Sukhraj included the following:
“Hope you're safe dude,” wrote Lloyd Coutts, ex-Business Day news editor.
“Anton, u are in my thoughts tonight and my prayers every day until u are home and safe. Sorry to hear the news Penny, I pray he will be home with u safe and sound soon,” posted Shayne Robinson, ex-South African Press Association chief photographer.
“May you be free and unharmed soon,” wrote Cobus Bodenstein, ex-Sunday Times photographer.
“Anton, praying you are OK,” wrote Sahm Venter, ex-Associated Press journalist.
“Oh, penny. so sorry to hear this :( hope they're all quickly released safe and sound. big hugs xx,” wrote Christine Nesbitt Hills, photographer and former colleague at The Star newspaper.
“My thoughts are with you,” wrote Debbie Yazbek, former chief photographer at The Star.
The director of emergencies for Human Rights Watch, Peter Bouckaert, who is based in Geneva, informed GlobalPost of the detentions early on Thursday.
He said the journalists had been taken on Tuesday evening while they were reporting on the outskirts of Brega.
Bouckaert’s information had come in an email from New York Times reporter C J Chivers who was at the scene.
“Those witnesses said that the van (journalist James) Foley was travelling in with the other journalists had been stopped by an indirect fire strike and that Gaddafi forces took the journalists prisoner and released the driver,” the GlobalPost said.
“It is believed that, along with Foley, Clare Morgana Gillis, an American freelance journalist, Manu Brabo, a Spanish photographer, and Anton Hammerl, a South African photographer, were also detained.
“Their location at this time is unknown.
“Requests have been made to the Libyan foreign media office for the release of James Foley and the other journalists detained by government forces.
“We appeal to the Libyan authorities for the immediate and safe release of these journalists.”
Reporters Without Borders said it had learned “from a reliable source” that four journalists - a South African, two Americans and a Spaniard - had been missing in the east of the country since April 4.
The organisation said it was “outraged” by the deportation of 26 foreign journalists by the Libyan government for having expired visas.
About 100 other foreign journalists are still in the Libyan capital.
Three Al-Jazeera journalists who were arrested in early March - Mauritian reporter Ahmed Vall Ould el-Dine, Norwegian photographer Ammar Al-Hamdane and British photographer Kamel Ataloua - are still being held by Gaddafi forces.
Two Agence France-Presse journalists and a Getty photographer were detained for four days last month by pro-Gadaffi forces.
Four New York Times journalists were also held for several days. - Sapa