'60 Minutes' correspondent Bob Simon, 73, dies after car crash

NEW YORK, Feb. 11 (UPI) -- CBS News announced its longtime 60 Minutes correspondent Bob Simon died after a New York car crash Wednesday night. He was 73.

Variety said the veteran broadcast journalist was the passenger in a Lincoln town car struck by a Mercedes Benz on the West Side Highway. He was transported to a local hospital where he died.

No other details about the collision were immediately available.

Seen on last weekend's edition of 60 Minutes, interviewing Selma director Ava DuVernay, he had earned 27 Emmy Awards and four Peabody prizes, including a special 1999 Peabody commendation for his body of international reporting, throughout his distinguished decades-long career, Variety noted.

His network described him in his biography as "the most honored journalist in international reporting" and noted he had been contributing regularly to 60 Minutes since 1996.

Legendary @60Minutes and @CBSNews correspondent Bob Simon has died: http://t.co/ZyiFOlcuF3 pic.twitter.com/0hm4FFWX7F

— CBS News (@CBSNews) February 12, 2015