This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/middle_east/7629171.stm

The article has changed 15 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 3 Version 4
'Fifteen people seized' in Egypt 'Eleven tourists seized' in Egypt
(20 minutes later)
Around 15 people, many of them tourists, are reported to have been kidnapped in southern Egypt. At least 15 people, including eleven foreign tourists, are reported to have been kidnapped in southern Egypt.
Five Italians, Germans and Egyptians were reported to be among the tourists seized near Aswan, though the details of the abduction were unclear. Five Italians, five Germans and a Romanian were reported to be among the tourists, while four Egyptians were also said to have been seized.
The abduction took place near Aswan, though the details remain unclear.
Egypt's tourism minister told Reuters: "This is a gang act [by] masked men," adding that talks were underway on a ransom to release the hostages.
The Italian foreign ministry said it had set up a crisis unit to deal with the incident.The Italian foreign ministry said it had set up a crisis unit to deal with the incident.
There were unconfirmed reports that the group may have been taken across the border into Sudan.There were unconfirmed reports that the group may have been taken across the border into Sudan.
But Egyptian officials said the circumstances of the abduction remained unclear.But Egyptian officials said the circumstances of the abduction remained unclear.
"We don't know yet who did this and we don't know the whereabouts of the tourists," an official told the Associated Press."We don't know yet who did this and we don't know the whereabouts of the tourists," an official told the Associated Press.
There were initially reports that the group included Israeli tourists - but Israelis were not mentioned in later reports. There were initially reports that the group included Israeli tourists. But Israelis were not mentioned in later reports, and the Israeli foreign ministry denied any of its nationals were involved.
Kidnaps of foreigners in Egypt have been very uncommon in recent years.Kidnaps of foreigners in Egypt have been very uncommon in recent years.