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UK tourists 'missing' after quake UK tourists 'turn up' after quake
(about 2 hours later)
A group of 19 British holidaymakers are missing following the Chinese earthquake, a holiday company has said. Chinese officials say 31 British tourists have turned up unharmed in the area devastated by Monday's earthquake.
Travel firm Kuoni said the Britons were on a coach from Chengdu to a giant panda reserve at Wolong in Sichuan province when the tremor struck. A Foreign Ministry statement said the group returned to the provincial capital Chengdu on Tuesday night from a visit to the Wolong nature reserve.
It is not clear if the group is the same as the 19 Britons who were reported missing earlier.
Travel firm Kuoni said the 19 were on a coach from Chengdu to Wolong in Sichuan province when the tremor struck.
British travel group Abta said 100 UK tourists in affected areas were safe.British travel group Abta said 100 UK tourists in affected areas were safe.
The Foreign Office said it had no confirmed reports of British injuries, but local reports quoted authorities as saying 15 Britons were unaccounted for. The Foreign Office said it had no confirmed information of British injuries, but that local reports said 15 Britons were unaccounted for.
'Lines of communication''Lines of communication'
The death toll for the earthquake, which struck south-western China on Monday, now stands at over 12,000.The death toll for the earthquake, which struck south-western China on Monday, now stands at over 12,000.
Officials say they have no news yet from the towns at the epicentre of the quake, which had a magnitude of 7.8.Officials say they have no news yet from the towns at the epicentre of the quake, which had a magnitude of 7.8.
They are all safe and none are in danger Sean TiptonAbtaThey are all safe and none are in danger Sean TiptonAbta
Kuoni said that the 19 British tourists had been customers of the Travel Collection company, one of its subsidiaries, and had been accompanied by a local guide and driver.Kuoni said that the 19 British tourists had been customers of the Travel Collection company, one of its subsidiaries, and had been accompanied by a local guide and driver.
A statement from the company said it was trying to make contact with the group.A statement from the company said it was trying to make contact with the group.
It added: "All lines of communication to the region are down and as such no further information is known at this time. We are working closely with the British Consulate in China."It added: "All lines of communication to the region are down and as such no further information is known at this time. We are working closely with the British Consulate in China."
China's Xinhua news agency said that 15 Britons were among 2,000 tourists stranded in Wenchuan county, Sichuan province.
Reports had quoted Chinese authorities as saying that they had lost contact with the 15-strong group of British tourists in Wolong, an area famous for its giant pandas.
The Foreign Office said it had been unable to validate the reports and was trying to establish the whereabouts of any Britons in the devastated region.
An FO spokeswoman said: "We have no confirmed reports of any Britons being hurt in the earthquake.
"We are working on trying to track down all the Britons in the area."
But Abta said that about 100 UK tourists on tour operator trips in areas of China affected by the earthquake are safe.
Spokesman Sean Tipton said: "They are all safe and none are in danger.
"We have been in contact with UK holiday companies and there are about 100 clients in the Sichuan region at the moment.
"In line with Foreign Office advice, there will be no tours to that region for the time being."
Anyone in the UK concerned about friends or relatives should call 020 7008 0000Anyone in the UK concerned about friends or relatives should call 020 7008 0000
In Maoxian county, 37 tourists were killed when their coach was buried in a landslide caused by the earthquake. Their nationalities were not clear.In Maoxian county, 37 tourists were killed when their coach was buried in a landslide caused by the earthquake. Their nationalities were not clear.
The Foreign Office said anyone in the UK who is concerned about friends or relatives who may be in China should call its helpline on 020 7008 0000.The Foreign Office said anyone in the UK who is concerned about friends or relatives who may be in China should call its helpline on 020 7008 0000.
It has advised against all but essential travel to Sichuan province.It has advised against all but essential travel to Sichuan province.
'On standby''On standby'
Meanwhile, British rescue workers were waiting to learn if they will travel to China to provide assistance.Meanwhile, British rescue workers were waiting to learn if they will travel to China to provide assistance.
The International Rescue Corps (IRC) and Rapid UK, which both provide disaster response personnel, said they had contacted authorities in the UK and China with offers of assistance.The International Rescue Corps (IRC) and Rapid UK, which both provide disaster response personnel, said they had contacted authorities in the UK and China with offers of assistance.
Julie Ryan, a spokeswoman for the IRC, said five members were ready to join an international search and rescue team.Julie Ryan, a spokeswoman for the IRC, said five members were ready to join an international search and rescue team.
"We've put them on standby waiting to see if they will be mobilised," she added."We've put them on standby waiting to see if they will be mobilised," she added.