Mexican FM in Egypt with killed tourists’ families

Egypt says its forces had been pursuing Islamic militants in the Western Desert and mistook the Mexican tourists for the militants.

A Mexican tourist who survived an airstrike by Egyptian security forces has described how her tour group was bombed for three hours.

According to The Guardian on Monday, the interior ministry of Egypt said the security force was hunting for terrorists within the area when it “accidentally engaged four four-wheel drives belonging to a Mexican tourist group”.

“We want to determine the circumstances that led to that unprecedented and unfortunate incident”, she said, adding that her country was awaiting the report of the investigation to determine “the responsibilities and further actions”.

Mr Pena Nieto said the six Mexicans who were wounded would be flown home on Thursday aboard his presidential plane.

In a letter penned to the Mexican people released Tuesday night, Egyptian FM Shoukry expressed sympathy “for the loss of innocent Mexican lives” before appearing to walk back the government’s initial admission of “error” in their deaths.

Egyptian authorities have not said what weapons were involved in Sunday’s attack in the Western Desert, in which 12 people died and 10 more were wounded.

Speaking at a joint press conference with her Egyptian counterpart, Sameh Shoukry, Massieu said her government expected Egypt to launch a “transparent and thorough investigation” into the incident.

“He also called out those who have “exploit[ed] the tragic event, to allege that Egyptian law enforcement officials” act indiscriminately”, referring to criticism of a shoot-first ask-questions-later policy amongst Egypt’s security forces.

The incident has proven embarrassing for Egypt, which relies heavily on tourism revenues.

“We were bombed some five times, always from the air”, she said.

But in recent months, militants loyal to the Islamic State group have carried out a series of attacks in more central parts of the country, including the bombing of the Italian Consulate in Cairo and the kidnapping and beheading of a Croatian oil surveyor who was working in the capital.

Ruiz Massieu also said she would meet Egypt’s president, Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi.

Egyptian officials initially claimed the convoy of SUVs had wandered into an off-limits area of Egypt’s western desert.

Hassan al-Nahla, the head of Egypt’s tour guides union, said the group had received all the required permits and set off with a police escort from Cairo to the Bahariya oasis, roughly 220 miles away.