Two American tourists have been kidnapped while travelling in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula.

Security officials say armed Bedouins snatched the two while they were travelling by car from Dahab to the resort of Nuweiba this morning.

Both resorts are on the Red Sea's Gulf of Aqaba.

The officials say the two Americans are men in their early 30s.

No other details were immediately available.

The abduction was the latest in a series of kidnappings in Sinai, which has seen a surge in lawlessness over the last year.

Bedouins have been kidnapping tourists to pressure authorities to release detained relatives or to improve basic services in their areas.