MUMBAI: The BBC expressed grave concern over the reports of one of its Gaza correspondents who went missing early this week.

The BBC is trying to locate the whereabouts of its Alan Johnston."We are working closely with the Palestinian authorities and others to establish the facts surrounding the situation," a BBC statement said.

According to published reports, Johnston's car was found abandoned in Gaza City. While reports of what might have happened are sketchy, there has been unconfirmed speculation that Johnston was kidnapped after he left his office to go home. Reports emerging out of the region also talk about four armed gunmen who were seen in the vicinity of where his car was found.

While this has given rise to reports that he may be kidnapped,the BBC statement maintained that "We are currently unable to contact him and are concerned for his safety.We are trying to gather as much information as possible."

44-year-old Alan Johnston is currently the only foreign correspondent for a major media organization based in Gaza. He has been based there for three years, and reports indicate he was due to return to the U.K. in April.

Meanwhile a survey conducted by the International News Safety Institute (INSI) - a coalition of media organizations, press freedom groups, unions and humanitarian campaigners dedicated to the safety of journalists and media staff highlighted the situation of journalists and media persons in conflict torn countries.

The report 'Killing the Messenger' found that 1,000 news media personnel around the world have been killed trying to report the news over the past 10 years - that's almost two deaths every week. The survey was conducted between January 1996 and June 2006.