The first batch of South Korean survivors from a suspected terrorist attack in Egypt returned home Wednesday, three days after the bombing killed four people aboard a tourist bus.
The bus was carrying 31 South Korean tourists along with Korean and Egyptian tour guides in Egypt’s bustling tourist destination of Sinai Peninsula when an identified man boarded the bus and detonated explosives in an apparent suicide attack.
The attack killed three South Koreans and the Egyptian bus driver. The bomber was reportedly also found dead.
Of the survivors, 15 who were not hurt or sustained minor injuries arrived at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, after traveling through Israel and Turkey.
The South Koreans were from the same Christian church in the central South Korean city of Jincheon and had traveled to Egypt on a group pilgrimage.
Earlier in the day, an official at Seoul’s foreign ministry said the survivors would undergo brief health check-ups upon arrival before returning to their homes.
The official also said the ministry is arranging a flight to bring back the rest of the survivors as early as possible, adding that he is not sure whether the bodies of the victims will come with the second batch of survivors due to logistical reasons.
An al-Qaida-inspired group called Ansar Beit al-Maqdis has claimed responsibility for the Sunday attack, but the Egyptian government is still investigating who is to blame.
“It’s still not clear whether the group is behind (the attack), but (the ministry) is taking steps to contact all South Koreans traveling or staying in the region and advising them to leave,” the official said on condition of anonymity.
The move follows a message posted Monday on a Twitter account reportedly affiliated with the terrorist group, which warned that any foreign travelers in Egypt could be the next target of an attack if they do not leave the country in four days.
By Yonhap News Agency