13 Tourists Killed, 34 Injured as Tourist Bus and Truck Collide in Egypt
At least 13 people have been killed in a collision between a tourist bus and a large truck west of Egypt's capital, Cairo. Another 34 people were injured. All of the dead and injured are domestic and foreign tourists.
The accident happened on Tuesday, October 20. Egypt's state-owned daily Al-Ahram reported that the tragic collision between the bus and the truck occurred on the Cairo-Asyut Western Desert Highway.
A correspondent of the AFP news agency reported from the scene that authorities are clearing the wreckage of the bus and truck from the highway. The large bus was removed with the help of a crane.
The severity of the collision is clear from the description of the wreckage. The entire front of the bus had been torn off, and twisted steel and debris lay scattered at the scene.
The AFP correspondent added that passengers' seats were strewn beside the road and wreckage of the bus could be seen at the rear of the truck — evidence of how horrific the crash was.
According to Al-Ahram, the injured are being treated at a hospital in Giza, where care for the 34 injured people is continuing.
The authorities concerned have begun an investigation into the cause of the accident. No official word has yet been given on the specific cause.
Road accidents are not rare in Egypt. Reckless driving, poor vehicle maintenance and lax law enforcement are frequently blamed for them.
According to the state statistics agency, about 6,000 people lost their lives in road accidents across Egypt last year — a grim picture of the country's road safety crisis.
Fatal accidents have continued in recent months. Last September, a bus accident in the Sinai region killed 22 people in total, including 10 Jordanian tourists.
The month before, in August, at least 18 people were killed in northern Egypt when two pickup trucks carrying agricultural workers collided. Several children were among the dead.
The succession of such accidents has raised fresh questions about Egypt's road safety system. Attention now turns to the findings of the latest investigation and the authorities' next steps.
