Today in History - March 26: Vulture waits in background of deeply confronting photo

One of the most confronting photos of all time was published by The New York Times on March 26, 1993.

South African photographer Kevin Carter was in South Sudan documenting the famine there when he saw a starving child on the ground outside the town of Ayod.

In the background was a vulture, presumably waiting for the child to die.

READ MORE: Brother starves to death after hoarder killed by own booby trap

After taking the photo, Carter shooed the bird away.

"You won't believe what I've just shot!" Carter told his colleague.

"I was shooting this kid on her knees, and then changed my angle, and suddenly there was this vulture right behind her!"

Contrary to perceptions, the child was only 50m away from help.

The child was taken to an aid station and survived until adulthood.

Carter left the town via a plane minutes after taking the photo.

The picture, The Vulture and the Little Girl, won the Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography.

READ MORE: The al-Qaeda plot to kidnap Russell Crowe

It was later revealed the child was a little boy. He died in 2007.

The famine was a profound one. In Ayod alone, a dozen adults were dying each day of starvation.

The photo spurred the West into action. It was quickly used by aid organisations to raise awareness and money.

Despairing at the extraordinary suffering he had witnessed and beset by personal problems, Carter took his own life four months after winning the Pulitzer.

Despite his critical acclaim, he had major money problems.

If you or someone you know is in need of support contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue. In the event of an emergency dial Triple Zero (000).

For more from our Today in History archive, click here

DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.