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Tourists missing on Ethiopia trip Search for kidnapped UK tourists
(about 16 hours later)
British embassy officials and their relatives are among a number of foreign tourists missing and feared kidnapped in a remote part of Ethiopia. Foreign Office officials have arrived in Ethiopia to help investigate the kidnapping of five British people.
Whitehall officials told the BBC there was "a national security dimension" to their disappearance. British embassy officials and their relatives are among a number of foreign tourists missing in the north of the country, close to the Eritrean border.
Ethiopian police said the tourists were kidnapped, along with 13 Ethiopian aides, about 800km (500 miles) north-east of the capital, Addis Ababa. There has been no contact with the group for more than 48 hours.
There are conflicting reports about the exact number of people missing. Around 10 British officials, thought to include an expert hostage negotiator, are meeting at the British embassy in the capital, Addis Ababa.
One tour operator, Origins Ethiopia, said 10 tourists, whose satellite phone had broken, were now known to be safe. Ethiopian police said the tourists were kidnapped, along with 13 Ethiopian drivers and interpreters, about 800km (500 miles) north-east of Addis Ababa.
But some estimates say up to 18 people are still unaccounted for. Apart from the Britons, most of the tourists are believed to be French.
Safety fears The Italian foreign ministry told the AFP news agency that one of those kidnapped had dual British-Italian nationality.
Details of what happened are sketchy, but the BBC's Mike Wooldridge at the Foreign Office understands that a sizeable group carried out an attack or an abduction and that there was small arms fire. Hostile environment
Most of the tourists are believed to be French, the others British and Italian. A search involving Ethiopian police and army is under way in the Afar desert, close to the Eritrean border and one of the hottest and most inhospitable areas of the world.
The remote Afar desert appeals to adventure travellersEthiopian police said the 13 missing Ethiopians were working as drivers and interpreters for the foreigners. BBC East Africa Correspondent Adam Mynott said investigators were struggling against a lack of "firm information" about what happened to the group, as well as the barren and inhospitable terrain.
They were travelling to the Afar desert, one of the hottest and most inhospitable areas of the world. Whitehall officials earlier told the BBC there was "a national security dimension" to the group's disappearance.
UK Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett said the British government was working with Ethiopian authorities who "are doing all they can to ensure that the situation is resolved peacefully". The remote Afar desert appeals to adventure travellers
Ms Beckett said five of the missing Britons were members of staff from the UK embassy in Addis Ababa or relatives of staff. UK Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett said the British government was working with Ethiopian authorities who were "doing all they can to ensure that the situation is resolved peacefully".
The UK government is sending a team to north-east Ethiopia to help with efforts to find them. The government emergency planning committee Cobra met on Friday to discuss the issue.
Officials said the government emergency planning committee Cobra met on Friday to discuss the issue. Earlier, a spokesman for Ethiopia's prime minister told AFP Addis Ababa had "heard about an abduction" and was trying to confirm the missing people's whereabouts, and to ensure their safety.
Earlier, Bereket Simon, communications adviser to Ethiopia's prime minister, told AFP news agency Addis Ababa had "heard about an abduction and we are trying to confirm [the missing people's] whereabouts". Western diplomats are sending representatives to the largest town in the area, Mekele.
"We'll try our best to ensure their safety," he said.
French diplomats in Ethiopia said the tourists had been kidnapped.French diplomats in Ethiopia said the tourists had been kidnapped.
"There has been a kidnapping, that's certain... It happened the evening before yesterday [Wednesday]," the French ambassador to Ethiopia, Stephane Gompertz, told AFP."There has been a kidnapping, that's certain... It happened the evening before yesterday [Wednesday]," the French ambassador to Ethiopia, Stephane Gompertz, told AFP.
Thieves and rebelsThieves and rebels
A businessman who works in the area told the Associated Press news agency that one member of the group managed to escape and use a satellite phone to alert the authorities. A businessman who works in the area told the AP news agency that one member of the group managed to escape and use a satellite phone to alert the authorities.
Reports suggest that two separate groups - one mainly consisting of French tourists, the other a mixture of nationalities - disappeared.Reports suggest that two separate groups - one mainly consisting of French tourists, the other a mixture of nationalities - disappeared.
Western diplomats are sending representatives to the largest town in the area, Mekele. Afar is known for its inhospitable terrain and thieves, and a small rebel group are active there.
Afar is known for its inhospitable terrain and thieves and a small rebel group are active there. More intrepid visitors like to tour the Danakil Depression, one of the lowest and hottest places on Earth known for its salt mines and active volcanoes.
More intrepid visitors like to tour the Danakil Depression, one of the lowest and hottest places on Earth known for its salt mines and active volcanoes, Reuters news agency reports.
Tourists are advised to travel there with an armed guard.Tourists are advised to travel there with an armed guard.
Have you visited the Afar region? Have you taken part in a similar expedition? Send us your experiences using the form below.Have you visited the Afar region? Have you taken part in a similar expedition? Send us your experiences using the form below.
You can also email your pictures and moving footage to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124.You can also email your pictures and moving footage to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124.
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