Cairo: At least 19 people were killed and six injured on Saturday when the minibus they were travelling in overturned in northern Egypt’s Nile Delta, the health ministry said.
Egyptian media outlets reported the accident was caused by a malfunctioning steering wheel, without elaborating.
The bus was carrying some 35 people when it derailed on a highway and fell into Mansuriya canal in Aga town, in the northern governorate of Daqahlia, according to security sources.
Rescue teams saved some 17 people, the ministry said, after the vehicle plunged into a canal.
According to the Al Masri al Youm website, the victims became trapped inside the bus after it crashed into the water.
Fatal road crashes are relatively common in Egypt. They are often blamed on reckless driving and poor road conditions. In recent years, Egypt has built a network of new routes, aimed at improving the quality of its roads.
Traffic accidents are common in Egypt where roads are often poorly maintained and driving rules flouted. In 2021, around 7,000 people were killed on the roads of the Arab world’s most populous country, according to official figures. In July, 25 people died and 35 were injured in central Egypt when a bus crashed into a truck parked on the side of the road. — Agencies
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