Hopes dim for some hostages in Algeria

Kjetil Alsvik/Statoil

related stories

By Luke Johnson & news reports

 17 January 2013 19:28 GMT

Hopes dimmed for at least some of the hostages involved in the siege of the In Amenas gas facility in Algeria as top officials braced for the worst.

"We have to prepare ourselves for the possibility of bad news ahead," UK Prime Minister David Cameron said in a news conference carried on BBC TV.

"We face a very bad situation at this BP gas compound in Algeria," Cameron said.

Details remained fuzzy, but an Associated Press report quoted militants linked to the hostage-takers as saying that 35 hostages and 15 militants were killed after Algerian military helicopters attacked the gas-production facility. The militants reportedly said said seven hostages had survived, including two Americans.

A British security source told CBS News…

Become an Upstream member!

Membership includes a subscription to our weekly newspaper providing in-depth news from the energy industry, plus full-access to this site and its archives. Still not convinced? Try our free trial.

Already a member?

Login

Upstream share price index