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Deadly attack on tourists at Erta Ale - further details: 5 dead, 4 abducted and 7 woundedWednesday Jan 18, 2012 10:37 AM | Age: 130 days
BY: T We have now more precise details from what happened at Erta Ale yesterday, and can confirm that the attack was not on Dallol as we suspected, but on the crater rim of Erta Ale volcano. For years now, this has been a popular camping spot for tourists visiting the spectacular lava lake. According to our correspondents in Addis, who are in satellite phone contact with guides on location in the area, the attack happened on Tuesday around 01:00 Am local time. 5 people at least were shot dead by a group of armed rebels from Eritrea, who suddenly opened fire on the group. The victims include tourists 2 each from Germany and Hungary and 1Austrian. Their bodies have arrived in Semera town, the capital city of the Afar Region, and are now being transported to Addis. In addition, 2 Germans and 2 Ethiopians were captured and abducted by the Eritrean terrorist. Other 7 tourists were wounded and also arrived in Semera for further treatment in the Hospital. Among the seven tourists there is one Ethiopian Police man and the rest are from Germany, Italy and Hungary. A large unit of the Militry of Ethiopia has arrived near Erta Ale and bans all visits to the volcano for an indefinite time we are told. The government has send helicopters to the area to collect the bodies and to bring the wounded people. Now the area is under control and supervision of the Ethiopian Government "guarantying peace and stability" we are told.
Deadly attack on tourists in the Danakil desert (NE Ethiopia) near Erta Ale? or Dallol? kills 5Wednesday Jan 18, 2012 00:11 AM | Age: 130 days
BY: T IMPORTANT follow-up: we have now confirmation from our contacts in Addis that the attack occurred on Erta Ale volcano at night. An armed group of guerrillas apparently from Eritrea has attacked a tour group in the Danakil desert on Monday evening and killed 5 people, including 2 Austrian and 1 German tourists, according to news emerging from the German Bild and other sources, most of which refer to a Reuters article published earlier today (see sources). We want to express our condolence to the victims, their families and our colleagues because of the attack on tourists. We are hoping to find out more details about the attack, including the exact location and circumstances. Bild Zeitung and most other news articles who refer to it, say "near Erta Ale", but this seems unlikely to us. It is probably the area around Dallol volcano, which is only 10 km from Eritrea on open flat surface and has been the site of previous attacks, most notably the 2007 abduction of UK diplomats (which ended with their release unharmed after 2 weeks of negotiations). Even Bild and Spiegel seem not to know where Erta Ale is, as they show pictures from Dallol, and the great salt lake about 100 km to the north labeling it Erta Ale. We are checking for more information from our local sources and will revise the upcoming tours. Please revisit this site for more information as it emerges. If you are in the area or have been there recently and have noticed anything suspicious that could help bring light into this sad event, please do share it with us and our readers and guests.
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