FED:John Bean 'a delight to be around'

AAP General News (Australia)
08-19-2011
FED:John Bean 'a delight to be around'

Colleagues and friends of ABC cameraman JOHN BEAN says his first love was his wife,
but his second was telling the stories of fellow Australians.

The cameraman was with reporter PAUL LOCKYER and pilot GARY TICEHURST in a helicopter
that went down while shooting a documentary on Lake Eyre in South Australia last night.

BEAN's wife, Landline reporter PIP COURTNEY, says in a statement that he was the most
wonderful husband a girl could wish for, and it was a privilege to watch him work.

Queensland Premier ANNA BLIGH says she knew BEAN, both behind and in front of the lens,
and her thoughts are with his first love PIP and their family and colleagues.

ABC managing director MARK SCOTT says JOHN was the one all the journalists wanted to
work with, and he was a great partner and a very talented craftsman.

The cameraman once joked that his last name came in handy connecting with people in
his work ... "I just tell them I'm Mr Bean and they want to know if I drive a yellow Mini."

AAP RTV lcf/wjf/jmt

KEYWORD: HELICOPTER BEAN (SYDNEY)

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