Artefacts stolen from Egypt's national museum

The missing pieces include "a gilded wood statue of the 18th Dynasty Pharaoh Tutankhamun being carried by a goddess," and parts of a gilded wood statue of the king, Xinhua quoted Hawass as saying in a statement Sunday.

The investigation into the missing artefacts has already been launched, Hawass told the official Al-Ahram newspaper.

Several looters broke into the museum near the Tahrir Square in downtown Cairo Jan 28  during mass anti-government protests.