All accross the mainstream news, with lots of misinformation, but the sketchy facts:

11 foreigners, 5 Italian, 5 German and a Romanian. They were with an egyptian operator, including the company owner, two giudes(?), four drivers and an officer, with four cars. The abductors were african in appearance (based on phone call from one of the group members), most likely Sudanese. The incident apparently happened on friday, but news only became known today afternoon (monday).

The group started from Dakhla, the abduction happened somewhere somewhere in the Gilf/Uweinat area, or possibly on the Selima Sand Sheet. Latest reports suggest the event happened in Karkur Talh, echoing the event last February posted on Carlo Bergmann's website

Group allegedly taken accross the Sudanese border, reportedly a 6 million USD ransom is being asked. There are reports suggesting that some negotiations are taking place (presumably over the group's Satphone).

In a new twist, it is now reported that the abductors may have been Egyptian. This is not totally surprising, as one would need insider info to know when/where a group is going, otherwise it is a pretty big and empty place just to leave hunting for chance... The SLA were quick to deny any involvement, but I doubt whether their spokesperson actually knows what all the loose groups are doing, so for the time being tha abductors may well be Sudanese (or even from Chad as some sources suggested).

More as I get some reliable info.

It appears the Gilf / Uweinat is off limits for the time being

UPDATE 1: Earlier reports that the 11 tourists have been released appear to be false, it is being denied by officials in Cairo. As of tuesday morning it appears to be full confusion, for the time being nothing is really known, except that the incident did happen. It appears that the German government is taking a lead in the negotiations. I'm not sure this bodes well: with their track record of paying up, if this will be the case again then it simply reinforces the viability of the business model.

UPDATE 2: No real news over the past two days, and the thread is growing so I will no longer update this post, will make new posts when any meaningful information surfaces.