A bomb has killed 3 tourists and a bus driver who were traveling near Sinai. The tourists were Korean and the driver was an Egyptian from the area. Egyptian officials are investigating the explosion but said it is not clear what caused it. They believe it could have been either a car bomb or a roadside bomb that was detonated by a remote control.
There were 33 passengers on the bus when the bomb exploded and almost all of them were severely injured, Many were burned badly. The injured passengers were being treated at hospitals in Taba and the coastal resort towns of Nuweiba and Sharm al-Sheikh.
The bus had been parked in a parking lot before the bomb exploded. The passengers had been visiting the St. Catherine’s Monastery, a popular tourist destination.
“We were standing near the crossing and suddenly the bus blew up. I can see many injuries, ambulances are here, police sealed off the area and the crossing is closed,” said one witness.
Attacks on tourists have been common in Egypt since the 2011 revolt. No terrorist groups have stepped up to take responsibility for the bus bombing, but investigators believe it could be the work of a group of al-Qaeda-linked militants.
The Tourism Ministry has condemned the bombing, calling it a despicable act. The Tourism Ministry has worked hard over the last decade to improve travel ratings and safety for tourists. This will cause some major setbacks for them.
“Our hearts are bleeding over the efforts exerted over the last period,” said a spokeswoman for the ministry. “Tourism “figures were just starting to improve.”
Many other areas of Egypt such as Cairo, have continued to have success in tourism because they are safe for tourists and have lower crime and terrorist rates.
Do you think Sinai’s tourism will be able to recover after the bus bomb?
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