Bomb kills three Vietnamese tourists, Egyptian guide near pyramids - officials

By Amina Ismail

 

Police officers inspect a scene of a bus blast in Giza, Egypt, December 28, 2018. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh

 

CAIRO (Reuters) - Three Vietnamese tourists and an Egyptian guide were killed and at least 10 others injured when a bomb blast hit their bus on Friday less than four km (2.5 miles) from Egypt's world famous Giza pyramids, authorities said.

 

The blast is the first deadly attack against foreign tourists in Egypt for more than a year and comes as the tourism sector, a vital source of foreign currency revenue, recovers from a sharp drop in visitor numbers since the country's 2011 uprising.

 

No immediate claim of responsibility was reported. Islamist extremists including some linked to Islamic State are active in Egypt and have targeted foreign visitors in the past.

 

At least nine Vietnamese tourists were injured, as well as the Egyptian driver, according to official statements.

 

The tourists were heading to a sound and light show at the pyramids, which they had also visited earlier in the day, said Lan Le, 41, who was in the bus but unhurt.

 

"We were going to the sound and light show and then suddenly we heard a bomb. It was terrible, people screaming," she told Reuters, speaking at Al Haram hospital, where the injured were taken. "I don't remember anything after."

 

The interior ministry said the bus was hit by an explosion from an improvised device hidden near a wall on Marioutiya street at around 1815 (1615 GMT).

 

About two hours later the vehicle could be seen behind a police cordon with one of its sides badly damaged and the windows blown out, a Reuters reporter said.

 

Dozens of police, military and firefighters were at the site, on a narrow sidestreet close to the ring road, where traffic was moving normally.

 

Shortly afterwards, workers brought a pick-up truck to tow the bus away.

 

An investigator at the scene said the device had likely been planted near the wall.

 

The interior ministry confirmed the death of two of the tourists, and the state prosecutor's office later said a third had died. In total, 14 Vietnamese tourists had been travelling on the bus, it said.

 

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly told local TV from Al Haram hospital that the guide had died from his injuries.

 

"The bus deviated from the route secured by the security forces," Madbouly told Extra News TV.

 

"We have been in contact with the embassy of Vietnam to contain the impact of the incident, and what is important now is to take care of the injured," he said.

 

The bus driver later told local media he had followed a standard tourist bus route.

 

Egypt's army and police launched a major campaign against militant groups in February, targeting the Sinai Peninsula as well as southern areas and the border with Libya.

 

The government says fighting Islamist militants is a priority as it works to restore stability after the years of turmoil that followed the "Arab Spring" protests of 2011.

 

Those events and the bombing of a Russian airliner shortly after it took off from Sharm el Sheikh in 2015 caused tourist numbers to plunge.

 

The last deadly attack on foreign tourists in Egypt was in July 2017, when two Germans were stabbed to death in the Red Sea resort of Hurghada.

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-12-29

Islam, scourge of the modern day world - yet again

What a sad story  !

tours half price this week..

42 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

Islam, scourge of the modern day world - yet again

 

42 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

Islam, scourge of the modern day world - yet again

Still, more people are killed in the name of Christianity. 

 

The scourge is organized religion, not just one particular flavor. 

Sorry to hear this , only 2 weeks after 2 beautiful Scandinavian girls were brutally murdered in Morocco .  

You should reconsider travelling to muslim countries, especially Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco.  

 

 

 

4 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Islam, scourge of the modern day world - yet again

Yes. And now even the viet govt should wake up & learn the bitter reallity of islam!

3 hours ago, balo said:

Sorry to hear this , only 2 weeks after 2 beautiful Scandinavian girls were brutally murdered in Morocco .  

You should reconsider travelling to muslim countries, especially Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco.  

 

 

 

And let's not forget Dec 11, Strasbourg Christmas Market terror attack, France , 5 persons killed ( among them Anupong Suebsamarn,) and over 11 injured   

Edited December 29, 20187 yr by Opl

Well, Islam basically is never hurting others in what ever way.

These moronic savages learned from heritage books that was written by authors more than seven centuries ago.   Still, most Muslims also get their religious rules of life from those books.

I hope Muslim believers especially Arabs wake up or continue live in dark ages and out of touch with reality.  They like Christians believe their way or the hell way, looking at all different revelations including Buddhasim are basically,

1- Believe in higher morals (God).

2- Since life is not fair , one must believe in after life.

3= living life doing good deeds.

Another nail in the coffin of the Egyptian tourist industry which was already on life support. RIP to those who died and condolences to the families. 

14 hours ago, balo said:

Sorry to hear this , only 2 weeks after 2 beautiful Scandinavian girls were brutally murdered in Morocco .  

You should reconsider travelling to muslim countries, especially Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco.  

 

 

 

OK. So I will make plans to travel to Syria. Maybe Sudan. Would love to go to Afghanistan, Libya, Mali, Yemen, Iraq...... 

42 minutes ago, spiderorchid said:

OK. So I will make plans to travel to Syria. Maybe Sudan. Would love to go to Afghanistan, Libya, Mali, Yemen, Iraq...... 

They are not typical tourist destinations, I think you know what I mean.

People travel for a beach holiday or to see ancient sites and pyramids.  Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco are now losing tourist money. 

 

 

2 hours ago, balo said:

They are not typical tourist destinations, I think you know what I mean.

People travel for a beach holiday or to see ancient sites and pyramids.  Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco are now losing tourist money. 

 

 

Easy. There are fantastic places all around the world to visit. You want to see a pyramid, go to Central America.

You want beaches, the world is full of them. And you don't have to go to some muslim country where some idiot wants to kill you.

Not for robbery. Because for some crazy religious reason, they want to kill you.

The only time that muslim countries will be safe is when the muslims stop extremism. Until then ban all muslim countries.

I don't know why this is not apparent. Give Muslim countries the flick.

Then slowly the idiots that run these countries may adopt tourist welcome policies.

But they hate you, maybe tolerate you for the money but they loath you.

There is the world to visit and small minded Muslim countries are not one of them