Vlad Vanderkelen took the already iconic photo of Olivier Vandecasteele: “We didn’t know each other, but on the flight from Oman to Belgium we became friends”

When Prime Minister De Croo reported on Twitter last Friday that Olivier Vandecasteele (42) was on his way to Belgium after 455 days in an Iranian cell, he did so with a catchy photo. The already iconic image was made by Vlad Vanderkelen (32), permanent cameraman and photographer at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “Olivier thanked me for the gentleness I had put into the portrait. I couldn’t hold back my tears when he said that.”

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