Catalan tour guide and photographer killed in Ethiopia

The Catalan tour guide and photographer Toni Espadas was killed in Ethiopia as confirmed by the foreign ministry to the Catalan News Agency (ACN) on Monday evening.

The professional was collaborating in the recording of an episode of 'Socios por el mundo', a TV program by Chile's 'Canal 13'.

The Catalan foreign ministry is already working with Spanish authorities to determine what happened.

According to 'Canal 13', the first media outlet reporting the murder, he was involved in a "complex incident" while recording in the African country.

The rest of the crew, who worked for MkZeta producer, remained unharmed, and work is being done so that they can leave Ethiopia and return to Chile.

Espadas was the founder of Rift Valley travel agency, in Sabadell, and both he and the agency specialized in Africa.

Catalan acting president Pere Aragonès sent his condolences to the family.

Acting foreign minister Meritxell Serret offered the family "the psychological support they need" and said the government was working with the Spanish government's foreign ministry to "move forward with the appropriate arrangements."

The mayor of Sabadell, Marta Farrés, said she was "shocked" by Espadas' death. He was known not only for his career as a photographer, but also as the founder of the Rift Valley travel agency and the Vèrtic climbing company. 

The council will hold a minute's silence at 12.30pm on Tuesday. 

The incident happened just a few days after three Catalan tourists were killed in a shooting in Afghanistan, with a local branch of Islamic State claiming the attack.