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Travellers' Advisories, Safety and Security on the Road Recent News, political or military events, which may affect trip plans or routes. Personal and vehicle security, tips and questions.
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  #1  
Old 4 Mar 2008
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Missing 4wd, couple, in Tunisia

From post on Desert-info.ch (in German)
www.desert-info.ch :: Thema anzeigen - VERMISST IN TUNESIEN!!! Bitte lesen!

In Tunisia missing since 18.2.08
Vehicle is a Land Rover Defender 110 TD5, blue (-Cairns = medium blue metallic), HA 661 EV indicator - Austria
The vehicle is striking because höhergelegt, 9.00er XZL tyres, stainless steel sill and snorkel, brown leather seats, Aludachträger, Zurrschienen side, additional tanks and deck space inside.

Wolfgang Ebners and girlfriend, name unknown
are 1 man (about 175, short hair, slim) and 1 woman (slim, schulterlange hair), and 2 shepherd dogs.

The last phone message came from Matmata, they were on the south, possibly towards the border area Algeria, - the exact route is unknown, however.

Getting there was Genoa - Tunis on 9.2.2008
29.2.2008 planned return trip - but they were not on the ferry and have also been since 18.2 Not reported

The embassies in Algeria, Tunisia and Libya were alerted.

If anyone both in Tunisia or Algeria after 18.2. encounters them, then please immediately report to me, the moderator or the embassies! Please also says friends decision on the recently there were, are or will be...

Each tip can be helpful!

-----------------Details:
1st Wolfgang is actually each year in the Sahara, and I would find him already as described.
2nd No, as far as I know, he had no Satphone
3rd Yes, PC-based GPS navigation
4th We do not know his relatives probably not. Maybe he is there without permission or direction Algeria has been on the
5th He eventually something of a fort "Fatima" or "Fatma" said that he wanted to show his girlfriend - who knows that?
6th Yes, if they were taken in Algeria, I also think that it would be known that - on the other hand Algeria will certainly not fuss because of "lost tourists." The message is, in any case.
7th With the distances in Tunisia is true - it is assumed that both have good foot. If it was an accident, in which both were set battle except perhaps in a little traffic route or outside of it, which also helps.

Post replies and information here please.
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  #2  
Old 5 Mar 2008
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Missing in Tunisia

This info gathered via a remote viewing session. Take it or leave it, but I had to try. I am better than average but certainly not 100% all the time.

I believe They went caravanning into desert, after Matmata about 150-175 K oases, or further in direction of TOZEUR some reason they are without their own cloths, dressing as locals? Fuel problem of some kind, keeps jamming in. Not absolutely sure about this at all.

My advice immediate contact with Berbers between Matmata and KEBILI, DOUZ or as far as TOZEUR indicated. Contact should be done in a manner conforming to Berber culture and language. Someone should spend some effort here. Wish I was there!

Grant, please post at PEACE CORPS TUNISIA Peace Corps Online | Tunisia

I am sure there are PEACE Corps Volunteers in the area I suggest they are.

Grant, important contact could be Wisconsin Governor JIM DOYLE, he is a returned Peace Corps Volunteer who served in Tunisia. He will have contacts into Peace Corps staff in country.

xfiltrate Hope this helps... xfiltrate
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Last edited by xfiltrate; 5 Mar 2008 at 03:57.
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  #3  
Old 6 Mar 2008
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Hello,

here an link to an poster of the missings (also as download in PDF avaiable):

disparus au Sahara tunesien

There ist to found the mail-adress and phone-number of the son from Wolfgang Ebner.



Best regards

Ulrich
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Old 8 Mar 2008
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Update requested!

Please post an update for the missing couple. Thanks xfiltrate
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Old 9 Mar 2008
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Hello xfiltrate,

they are not found till now. The tunisian military and police is searching for them.

Regards

Ulrich

Last edited by Ulrich; 9 Mar 2008 at 10:02.
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Old 9 Mar 2008
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Thats worrying now !
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Old 10 Mar 2008
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Hope this helps!

I just posted pertinent parts of Grant's message at : Peace Corps Online | Tunisia

Message may not show up at site for a while, as it has to be approved by web master first.

Peace Corps Tunisia today consists of Returned Peace Corps volunteers, like me. I am sure a few stayed in country, after their 2 years of service...

For whatever reason Peace Corps is not officially active in Tunisia now.

Those who served in Tunisia have an on line message/info site. I posted the data about the missing couple and Land Rover at Peace Corps Tunisia site.

A question was Mr. Ebners fluent in any of the local languages of Tunisia? I get him talking with locals quite fluently. Time frame is impossible for me to get. Don't know if it was this trip or previous trip?

Hope posting on Peace Corps site helps. My best intention for a safe return and courage to friends and family. xfiltrate
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  #8  
Old 10 Mar 2008
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Bad News!

Quote:
Qaeda's N.Africa wing holding Austria tourists-TV Mon 10 Mar 2008, 15:51 GMT





DUBAI, March 10 (Reuters) - Al Qaeda's North Africa wing was holding two Austrian tourists it had abducted in Tunisia on Feb. 22, Al Jazeera television reported on Monday.
It aired a recording in which a man identified as Salah Abou-Mohammad, a spokesman of al Qaeda Organisation in the Islamic Maghreb, said that the tourists, a man and a woman, were in a good condition.
"The spokesman said in the tape that the group will announce its conditions for the release of the two tourists at a later stage," a Jazeera presenter said. The channel did not broadcast that part of the recording.
Abou-Mohammad identified the tourists as a nurse and a consultant, giving their names with an Arabic accent as Andrea Kobler and Wolfgang Edner.
"The hand of the mujahideen can reach you wherever you were on Tunisian soil," he said addressing tourists in the North African country, which attracts visitors from several European countries.
Link: Tunisia | Africa - Reuters.com

Ulrich
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  #9  
Old 10 Mar 2008
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Missing Austrians kidnapped by AQ-M in Tunisia

Qaeda's North Africa wing says holding Austrian tourists | International | Reuters
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  #10  
Old 10 Mar 2008
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There is more about this in here, including details of the unfortunate captives:-
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...-tunisia-33542

Someone will be along soon to tell us that Al-Q is a figment of imagination or a media invention or ............I guess these two Austrians wish it were.
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Old 10 Mar 2008
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Shit. Like everyone, I was hoping they'd taken a detour, found a wonderful spot and were enjoying the desert.
Lorraine
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  #12  
Old 11 Mar 2008
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The Original-letter of AlQaida (formerly an Word-Dokument), the translation and the original Sound-file for Windows Media-Player.

www.desert-info.ch :: Thema anzeigen - VERMISST IN TUNESIEN!!! Bitte lesen!

Best regards

Ulrich
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  #13  
Old 11 Mar 2008
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Wow scary news... pray that they will be ok.
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Old 11 Mar 2008
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Thats sh1te!!!!

Poor people man!!!

I really hope they are ok. I just don't understand why/how people can have so little regard for someone elses life...I mean what did they do to deserve it...
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  #15  
Old 11 Mar 2008
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Terrible news. My heart goes out to their family and friends.
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