American tourists kidnapped in Egypt's Sinai CAIRO -- Bedouin tribesmen have kidnapped two American tourists in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula to demand the release of a fellow tribesman arrested in a drugs case, Egyptian police said Thursday. The two men, both aged 31, were kidnapped Wednesday in the Red Sea town of Dahab -- popular for diving and windsurfing -- and taken into the desert, Bedouin and security sources told NBC News. The governor of the South Sinai told NBC News that he had spoken to the tribesmen who reassured him that both hostages were in good health and would be released soon. The two were kidnapped by members of the Tarabeen tribe in order to gain the freedom of a man from the tribe who was caught for drug possession on Wednesday, Bedouin and security sources said. Freed American: Egyptian kidnappers 'were very nice' "We can confirm that there were two U.S. citizens kidnapped May 30 on the Sinai Peninsula and we are working closely with the Egyptian authorities to resolve the situation," a U.S. Embassy official told Reuters without giving further details. Read earlier stories on the kidnapping on msnbc.com Several other tourists have been held briefly by tribesmen in recent months, but have been released unharmed. Two American women were held in a short-lived kidnapping in February until Egyptian authorities negotiated their release a few hours later. Video: Egyptian election makes history Bedouin tribesmen in the Sinai have also attacked police stations, blocked access to towns and taken hostages to show their discontent with what they see as poor treatment from Cairo and to press for the release of jailed kinsmen.