30 killed in Red Sea bomb blast

[HW Chris]

By Matthew Kalman, Daily Mail

At least 30 people were killed and more than 100 injured last night when a car bomb ripped through the Hilton hotel in the Egyptian holiday resort of Taba.

Two Britons were reported to be hurt.

The blast brought ten floors of the showpiece hotel crashing down and a desperate rescue operation was underway for guests trapped under the rubble.

The hotel, just 200 yards from the border with Israel on the Red Sea, was packed with tourists from Israel for the Jewish holiday of Sukkot. They had apparently ignored warnings from Israeli security officials of a 'specific terrorist alert' against tourists in Sinai.

The Palestinian terrorist group Hamas had threatened to strike at Israeli targets abroad but terror experts said last night that the attack bore the hallmarks of Al Qaeda rather than any Palestinian group.

Early today Israel said it was ready to send in convoys of buses to evacuate any of the 12,000 to 15,000 Israelis who wish to leave the peninsula.

Many had already started. Dozens of walking wounded from the Hilton were streaming through a floodlit border crossing to hospital in the nearby Israeli resort of Eilat.

The bomb went off at around 10 pm, ripping through the lobby and bringing down the ceiling and several floors above. The western part of the hotel later caved in as well.

'The whole front of the hotel has collapsed,' said eye witness Yigal Vakni.

'There are dozens of people on the floor, lots of blood, it is very tense.'

Fire broke out and guests had to be helped out of emergency exits.

'The gates of Hell suddenly opened,' one guest, an Israeli doctor, told Israeli TV.

The blast was clearly audible a mile from the scene and shattered windows at the border crossing.

Ninety minutes later, a second huge explosion was reported further down the Red Sea coast and shortly after that, a third was heard in Ras al-Sultan to the southwest of Taba.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon instructed senior officials to establish contact with Egyptian authorities to allow Israeli rescue forces in to treat and transfer the wounded to hospital.

Israeli rescue workers said they had evacuated 39 casualties, five in a serious condition. 'We know of others trapped under the ruins,' said a rescue spokesman.

Taba is 100 miles north of the popular diving resort of Sharm El-Sheikh, where Tony Blair and his family have spent their past three Christmas holidays.

Copyright thisistravel.co.uk

[Mal 54]

Hi there,

After reading the news report about the bombing in Taba and watching the news on the TV, which I thought said the government were advising holiday makers not to go to Egypt. We are going to Sharm the beginning of November, which makes us just a little bit concerned. I know Sharm is 100 miles away from Taba, but the concern is still there.
My question is, does anyone have any idea what happens in this situation, when you have booked and paid for a holiday, then the government recommends holiday makers not to go there. Do the tour operators inform you that the holiday has been cancelled, or do they still let you go and ignore the situation? Has anyone ever been in this situation? would be grateful to hear.

Very worried
Mother

[HW Techie]

Hi Mother,
you can find info on this at the FCO website..

This is their "Don't Go List"...
http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pag ... 5423800990

The status of Egypt remains unchanged, as it was known there is a chance of terrorism in this area.

http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pag ... 3618385875

Not sure this helps you much, but at least it's information :scratch:

HW Techie

[Mal 54]

Hi Techie,

Thank you for the information site. Surpose we shall just have to wait and listen to the news re: Egypt.

Thanks again.

Mother