Egyptian official retracts statement, says stolen van Gogh not recovered, search continues

Search still on for van Gogh painting in Egypt

CAIRO — Egypt’s culture minister has retracted his statement that a stolen Vincent van Gogh painting has been recovered. He says authorities have in fact not found the missing artwork, and that the search for the painting continues.

The minister, Farouk Hosni, appeared on television and said his previous announcement of the painting’s recovery was based on “inaccurate information” he had received from officials. He said the $50 million painting is still missing.

Earlier Saturday, Hosni said security officers at Cairo airport had confiscated the painting from an Italian couple as hours after the canvas was stolen from the Mahmoud Khalil Museum in the Egyptian capital.

It was not clear what caused the confusion over the artwork’s fate, and officials could not be immediately contacted to clarify.