The Chilean press has revealed new details about the death of Catalan photographer Toni Espadas (55 years old, Barcelona), who was killed last Monday while participating in the filming of the program Socios por el mundo of Canal 13 from Chile, along with two well-known presenters, Francisco Pancho Saavedra and Jorge Zabaleta. According to the Chilean newspaper El Mercurio, Espadas was driving a jeep back to the hotel after filming the Mursi tribe in Omo Park in the south of Ethiopia. Two armed criminals on foot attacked the vehicle carrying part of the team, presumably in an attempted robbery. The Catalan photographer tried to evade the criminals, but was shot at point-blank range and died shortly after the attack. Zabaleta, who was in the passenger seat, took control of the vehicle and managed to escape at high speed on the highway. The Ethiopian authorities are investigating the circumstances of the attack and the murder.
Canal 13, the television network producing the program, confirmed Espadas’ death as a result of a “complex incident” while filming in Ethiopia. The Chilean Foreign Ministry reported that the Chilean Embassy in Ethiopia and the Consulate in Addis Ababa are assisting and safeguarding the Chilean team, following the attack that resulted in the death of a Spanish citizen. Francisco Saavedra, Jorge Zabaleta, and all the Chilean team members of Socios por el mundo are safe and in contact with their families, awaiting their return to Chile. The return of the Chileans to their country would be imminent, causing a great deal of public interest in Chile.
Socios por el mundo is a program that aims to “discover new and distant cultures, reveal exotic and beautiful landscapes, and live great adventures.” The program was filming its third season and had previously visited the Philippines and Australia. The team had spent four days preparing for the recording in Ethiopia and had received a warm welcome from representatives of the Mursi tribe, a nomadic and armed clan living in Ethiopia. Espadas, a renowned Spanish photographer and Africa expert, had over 30 visited countries in Africa. He founded Rift Valley Expeditions, a company specializing in trips to the continent, where he first arrived 25 years ago. Espadas shared his encounters with African peoples on his Instagram and promoted their culture and beliefs, as well as initiatives to help communities.
Espadas had a previous relationship with the Socios por el mundo team, having guided them on an expedition to visit mountain gorillas in Uganda during the second season. This time, he was hired as a guide for the Chilean team in Ethiopia. After Espadas’ death, presenter Pancho Saavedra paid tribute to him on Instagram, expressing how much Espadas loved Africa and how they had talked about it the night before. The Chilean public is eagerly awaiting the return of the team to Chile, following the tragic events in Ethiopia.
