(Reuters) — Family members in the Mexican city of Guadalajara were notified on Monday (September 14) of their relatives’ injuries and deaths after an Egyptian Army aircraft hunting for militants in the desert mistakenly bombed a convoy of mostly Mexican tourists, reportedly killing 12 in total.
Survivors said their group was bombed from a plane and helicopters. As members of the tourist convoy tried to flee, additional forces on the ground fired on them, Egyptian security sources said.
Egypt’s interior ministry described the attack in the country’s western desert as an accident.
The Mexican tourists had reportedly parked their 4×4 vehicles off-road on Sunday (September 13) for a barbecue near the Bahariya oasis, a tourist site in the western desert, when army aircraft suddenly began shelling them from above, security sources said.
Gabriela Bejarano, the sister of one of those killed in the attack, said there were 15 Mexicans in the group.
“Fifteen friends, it was a group of 15 people. (Reporter: Were they all from Guadalajara?) The majority were from Guadalajara, three weren’t. (Reporter: Where were they from?) One from Leon, one from the Federal District and the other I don’t know. (Reporter: When did the journey start and when was it to finish?) On September 9th they left the country to arrive back for September 25th,” she said.
Mexico’s President Enrique Pena Nieto said two Mexicans were killed in Sunday’s (September 13) incident, though Egyptian security and judicial sources later said eight Mexicans and four Egyptians were killed. The sources said eight Mexicans and two Egyptians were wounded.
Despite Egypt’s internal issues, Bejarano told media the Middle Eastern country had been considered safe for tourists.
“Egypt has always been a safe country. It’s always been good, nothing has happened; they’ve always looked after their tourists. I don’t know what happened, I don’t have information,” she said.
Mexico’s ambassador to Egypt, Jorge Alvarez, said six Mexicans who survived the incident were in stable condition. Alvarez added that the government was still seeking information about six other Mexicans of the 14-strong group still unaccounted for.
Speaking in Mexico City, Egypt’s ambassador to Mexico Yasser Shaban told media that the respective foreign ministers from both countries have been in touch to confirm the scenario of the attack.
“(Foreign) Minister (Sameh) Shoukry explained to (Foreign) Secretary (Claudia Ruiz) Massieu the circumstances surrounding the event, that the Mexican tourists happened to be present in the area of operation during a pursuit conducted by military and police forces targeting terrorists utilizing 4×4 vehicles similar to those being used by the tourists, which resulted in the tourists coming under gunfire from the security forces,” he said.
Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto has reported he had been assured Egypt’s prime minister would personally spearhead a probe.
Shaban reiterated that Egypt would cooperate with Mexican authorities to provide medical assistance to victims as well as repatriate bodies home.
“The Egyptian minister also assured his counterpart that the Egyptian government would provide every possible form of assistance and support to ensure that those injured receive the necessary medical care and to facilitate the return of the bodies of the victims to their country, as well as any other assistance requested by the Mexican government,” he said.
The killings are expected to hit Egypt’s fragile tourist industry, already reeling from internal stability in the Arab nation.
