Tourists stranded in Egypt
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Thousands of tourists holidaying in Egypt were stranded at airports across the country on Monday as volcanic ash emanating from Iceland swept through European skies.
Egypt Air canceled 10 flights from Cairo to western and northern Europe on Monday, an airport official said. Flights to European airports that remained open were reinforced by using larger planes.
Popular tourist spots like Sharm el-Sheikh were especially affected, with cancellations of half the flights from the Red Sea resort and 44 from Hurgada and Marsa Alam.
The Egyptian newspaper Al-Masry Al-Youm estimated 17,000 tourists were stranded, a figure the tourism ministry was unable to confirm.
The arrival of more tourists could exacerbate the problem of placing those already in Egypt, many of whom have been put up in hotels.
Some expatriate associations have asked their communities to take in their stranded compatriots.
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