CAIRO - The two American tourists kidnapped Thursday morning by some local Bedouins in Egypt's Sinai peninsular were released after 11 hours' abduction, an local security official told Xinhua.

Talks had been held between local tribe chiefs and the kidnappers before the two Americans were released.

The tourists are healthy right now and were handed to security chief of South Sinai Mahmoud El-Hevnawy.

The two Americans were abducted near Dahab when were travelling to Nuvbi by some gunmen who demanded the release of a tribesman arrested in a drug case Wednesday.

According to the official, they were kidnapped at 3:00 am local time (0100 GMT).

This was the fourth kidnapping case in the area since February. Two Americans and three South Korean tourists were abducted by Bedouins in the area on February 3 and February 10 respectively. The kidnappers demanded the release of their relatives who were jailed for involvement in terrorists activities.