Sahara hostages said to be in good health

Fourteen European tourists kidnapped up to six months ago in the Sahara are in reasonably good health, it was reported today amid hopes they will soon be turned over to German officials in Mali.

The nine Germans, four Swiss and a Dutchman have been handed to intermediaries by their captors, but the release hit a hitch yesterday when the group failed to turn up as expected at an airstrip in the north of the West African country.