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Tourists attacked at Egypt Red Sea resort

An attack at a hotel in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Hurghada has left at least two foreign tourists injured.
 
Egyptian state TV says local security forces repelled the attack and one assailant has been killed.
 
The attack took place at the Bella Vista hotel, the BBC reported.
 
Local reports vary as to the nationalities of the victims, and whether they were shot or stabbed.


The assailants arrived by sea to carry out the assault in the Red Sea resort of Hurghada, according to Sky News.


Eyewitnesses claim at least one of the gunmen was waving an Islamic State flag as they stormed the hotel.


The tourists wounded in the attacks are believed to be from Sweden and Austria.


The assailants were aiming to kidnap tourists and one wore an explosive belt, Egyptian officials reportedly said.


A spokesman for the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office said they were “urgently investigating” the reports. He did not know whether any Britons might be affected.
 
Hurghada is on the Red Sea coast, across the water from the resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, from where the Russian Metrojet Airbus which crashed in the Sinai peninsula took off on October 31
 
After that crash, which killed 224 people and was claimed by so-called Islamic State, the UK and other European countries halted flights to Sharm el-Sheikh, citing security fears.


Thomas Cook said it has been advised of an incident that occurred earlier today in Hurghada.


“We can confirm that the hotel where the incident is reported to have taken place is not offered by Thomas Cook,” the company said.


“However, we do currently have customers staying in other parts of Hurghada, and our experienced teams on the ground are on hand to offer every assistance to them and their families at this time.


“Our customers’ welfare remains our primary concern, and we are continuing to liaise closely with our overseas team and the FCO.”

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