Catalan photographer and tourist guide Tony Espadas murdered in Ethiopia

Founder and Director of Sabadell-based Rift Valley Travel Agency, Tony Espadas, He was murdered this Monday in Ethiopia in an incident that remains under investigation, as reported by Chilean media Channel 13. The victim was acting in an African country team guide Who was filming the show?Partners around the world‘, created by production company MkZeta, when they are suddenly attacked.

According to the statement, the program’s other hosts and team members are fine and the recording group is trying to leave the country to return to Chile. Additionally, Channel 13 expressed its condolences to the family of the deceased.

Travel agencies, ‘fixers’ and local production

Tony Espadas there was one Specialized guides in Africa, a continent that was famous, and especially in Ethiopia. He landed on the continent 26 years ago as a photographer and traveller, entered the Dogon country (Mali), a difficult place to visit, and saw landscapes and people that impressed him. But at the same time, the curiosity awakened in him led him to discover other cities Ethiopia, the country that marked themFinally to study in depth the ethnic groups and towns of the Olmo Valley, with whom he formed a special bond.

Years later he founded the travel agency Rift Expeditions, which also collaborated with various charity and NGO projects. even among his projects Worked as ‘fixer’ of ‘Planeta Calleja’ and local productions‘: in 2015 with Jesus Calleja and Fernando Tejero and in 2019 in Cameroon; This was also the case for programs such as ‘Desafío Extremo’, ‘Marathon Man’ and ‘Superhumanos’ between 2013 and 2020.

He himself said in an interview with El Mundo in 2023 He was fascinated by the natural wealth, ethnography or landscape Which surrounded the great continent. Furthermore, he stressed that there are many places to discover beyond Kenya or Tanzania. He himself proposed with his own travel agency itineraries through Angola, Nigeria, Benin or Cameroon, destinations that are not usually “on the list of countries to visit” but still offer a unique experience.

Just five days ago, Espadas made this comment on his social networks Visited Holi ethnic groups in Benin in collaboration with NGO Across Africa To experience “in-situ” the solidarity initiative promoted by an NGO operating in the village of Gbagari (Onigbolo). The Holi are one of the minority ethnic groups in central Benin, located between the towns of Pobbe and Ketou, close to the border with Nigeria. Known for their scars and tattoos, he said they are a socially and politically forgotten people.