MEMBERS of the St Francis Xavier Catholic Parish in the Bluff were among the injured in an explosion targeting a tourist bus near the Grand Egyptian Museum, next to the pyramids in Giza.
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The attack occurred close to a giant national museum that is under construction near the pyramids and that is scheduled to open next year. The blast hit the bus which was carrying 28 passengers, 24 were from the parish group, who were on a religious pilgrimage that started in Israel and ended in Egypt, from 9-20 May.
#Egypt– Explosion reportedly targets foreign tourists' bus near The Grand Egyptian Museum (north of the pyramid complex) in #Giza/#Cairo. According to initial reports, 12 people were wounded. pic.twitter.com/HGsqa1baHa
— Oded Berkowitz (@Oded121351) May 19, 2019
The secretary of St Francis Xavier Catholic Parish, who spoke to the SUN and wished to withhold her identity, said most of those hurt suffered minor injuries, while three were treated in hospital and one of them will be going in for surgery. “20 of the members returned back to South Africa on Monday, 20 May and are safe. The priest Michael Foley is also back and didn’t suffer any serious injuries. The other four members who suffered injuries will be making their way back soon. It is very unfortunate that what was started out as a holy pilgrimage had to end so tragically and a traumatic experience for innocent people,” she said.
Photographs posted to social media showed some people walking away from a bus whose side windows had been blown out. It is not yet known who was behind the bombing.
WATCH: Tourists on the bus moments after the explosion.
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