–Developing News Story–
EILAT, Israel –Across the border in Taba, Egypt, a tourist bus exploded en route to Israel on Sunday, Feb. 16. Initial reports indicate that five people were killed, including the bus driver and four South Korean tourists who had gone to see Saint Catherine’s monastery in the Sinai Peninsula. Most of the other passengers aboard were wounded, including some visitors from the Ukraine.
It is unclear what caused the explosion; there are reports of a bomb, other reports indicate a rocket was fired at the bus. Egyptian security forces promptly shut off their side of the checkpoint in an attempt to capture the attackers. Terrorism was suspected, in part because former Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi, a leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, appeared in court on Sunday on chargers of supporting terrorism.
In Eilat, Yoseftal Hospital declared a state of alert in preparation for incoming casualties, and Magen David Adom–the Israeli equivalent of the Red Cross–moved ambulances to the checkpoint.
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Preceding based on information from the Tazpit News Agency and other news sources.