960428

22 tourists killed

at Australian

historic site

SYDNEY: Up to 22 people were killed on Sunday when a gunman opened fire on a group of tourists at the Port Arthur historic site on the southern Australian island state of Tasmania, Australian Broadcasting Corp radio reported.

"We've had a gunman run amok on the Port Arthur historic site," police media officer Geoff Easton told the ABC.

"At this moment we have 12 confirmed dead and possibly 22. There are a further 15 injured," he said.

"At the moment we have a hostage and siege situation," he said. Further details were not immediately available.

Port Arthur is a former penal settlement 100 km southeast of Tasmania's capital, Hobart.

Witnesses said a police special operations team wearing flak jackets had entered the area and ambulances were still arriving.

Media reports from the scene said at least one person was being held hostage in a cottage from where the gunman had a commanding view of the surrounding area.

Police had surrounded the building and were negotiating.

The shooting apparently began in a takeaway food kiosk, and ABC reported there were other shootings at a nearby hotel.

Witnesses said the man also set fire to a number of buildings in the area before retreating to the cottage.

A spokeswoman for the Port Arthur historic site said several hundred tourists were at the site when the gunman started firing.

"There was no altercation," she told Reuters. "A lone gunman started shooting and we have no idea why.

"It was very confusing at the time. We are looking after several hundred tourists, some of them international, at the site."-Reuter