Six Germans vanish in Sahara
2003-03-31 15:30
Berlin - Six German tourists have disappeared in the Sahara Desert, bringing the number of Europeans who have vanished there without trace since the end of February to 17, the German Foreign Office in Berlin said on Monday.
The four men and two women were last heard from March 17 in southern Algeria. They were booked to cross the Mediterranean from the Tunisian capital Tunis to Genoa, Italy last Friday, but never showed up at the car ferry.
They were travelling in three vehicles. Some of the group had extensive experience of desert travel.
While mishaps are common in the desert, and the risks attract adventurers, the latest disappearance has raised fears of something more sinister and of a possible connection to the disappearances of three other tour parties with a total of 11 members in recent days.
Searches for the six Germans, four Swiss and one Dutch national missing for the past five weeks had produced no clues by Monday.
Berlin officials said the German embassy in Algiers was working on the latest case. The group's last sign of life was phone calls to friends and relatives from Tamanrasset, a town in southern Algeria.
- SAPA