The family of a photographer who is believed to have been killed in Libya have appealed for the return of his body, to allow for a ?proper burial?.
Anton Hammerl – who held South African and Austrian citizenship and lived in Surrey – is believed to have been shot on 5 April.
Last week, two freed journalists who were captured with him said Hammerl could not have survived from his injuries without medical attention.
Yesterday, the 41-year-old’s family appealed to South African President Jacob Zuma for help.
Zuma is due to meet Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi next week for talks urging a ceasefire.
In an open letter to Zuma, the photographer?s family wrote: ?Our lives have come to a standstill and even though we now have some idea of what happened to Anton on 5 April, our hearts and minds are still in Libya every waking moment, trying to reach out to our son, our husband, our brother and our father, not knowing where his body is.
?We ask you to please use your influence on the continent to help finally bring Anton home to us, so that he can rest under the South African skies that he loved so much.
?Our nightmare cannot end until he is home.?
Zuma has agreed to pass on information to Libyan authorities about the possible location of the photographer?s remains, reports news agency Associated Press.