Seventeen European hostages freed by Algerian commandos from the hideout of an Islamic group were welcomed home today.
But their return was made bittersweet by concern for the remaining 15 tourists still being held in the Sahara Desert.
Six Germans and one Swede arrived in Cologne on a German military plane accompanied by deputy foreign minister Mr Juergen Chrobog, as well as a doctor and psychologist. Just minutes later, a plane carrying 10 Austrians landed in Salzburg, Austria, where they were reunited with family members brought to the plane. Some walked up the staircase to greet their loved ones.
Before the Austrians' arrival, Foreign Ministry spokesman Mr Martin Weiss described them as "very tired and exhausted" but without any outward injuries despite their desert ordeal.
In Germany, some of the hostages leaned heavily on the rail as they got off the plane. Mr Axel Mantey (30) was the first to emerge, sporting a beard and wearing Arab dress. He was followed by his girlfriend Melanie Simon (25) in a bright pink robe.
The Swede, Mr Harald Ickler (52) who lives in Bavaria, punched both arms in the air and gave a double victory sign as he descended the stairs.
All seven - five men and two women - boarded a bus on the tarmac and did not talk to reporters. No family members were seen, as officials sought to keep the reunions private.
While refusing to go into details of the hostages' release, Mr Chrobog praised Algeria's handling of the crisis.
"They have done great," MR Chrobog said, adding: "We are greatly concerned about the second group of hostages."
The 32 desert travellers went missing in seven groups travelling without guides through the desert near the Libyan border since February 22nd.
No group ever claimed responsibility for kidnapping them, giving rise to speculation blaming Islamic rebels, smugglers or retaliation for the conviction in Frankfurt of four Algerians who plotted to bomb a French holiday market.
Commandos freed the 17 in a dawn raid yesterday, engaging in a pitched battle lasting several hours that left nine suspected hostage-takers dead at their hideaway about 1,200 miles south of the capital, Algiers, the daily El Watanreported.
The report said the army located the captives, held in two groups, using reconnaissance planes equipped with thermal imaging equipment. While the first group has been freed, the fate of the second remained unclear.
AP