Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
The death toll from a passenger bus crash in Egypt’s South Sinai Governorate has risen to 22, while the number of injured stands at between 28 and 29, according to successive official and preliminary reports. Ten Jordanian nationals are among those reported to have been injured or killed.
The crash occurred on the Dahab–Nuweiba road near the Al-Saada area, locally known as the “accidents area,” before the road leading into Nuweiba. The bus overturned while traveling toward the coastal city, leaving a large number of passengers dead or injured and prompting an extensive emergency response involving Egyptian security, ambulance and medical services.
Egypt’s Ministry of Health and Population said it was monitoring the response to the accident and initially reported 28 injured people and 22 deaths. The injured were transported to hospitals affiliated with the General Authority for Healthcare under the supervision of Dr. Ahmed El-Sobky, chairman of the authority.
Thirteen injured passengers were admitted to Sharm El-Sheikh International Hospital, while nine were taken to Saint Catherine Hospital and six to Al-Fayrouz Hospital. Later preliminary information placed the number of injured at 29, reflecting the continuing process of assessing passengers and confirming the final casualty figures.
Health Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar ordered all hospitals near the crash site to raise their emergency preparedness. Medical teams from different specialties were placed on standby, and hospitals were instructed to secure the medicines, medical supplies and blood types required to treat the injured.
The ministry offered its condolences to the families of those who died and expressed its wishes for a speedy recovery for all those injured.
Preliminary information indicated that the bus had departed from Cairo and was heading to Nuweiba Seaport. It was carrying both Egyptian and Jordanian passengers who were traveling as part of an overland journey to the port. From Nuweiba, the passengers were expected to travel by sea to Aqaba, Jordan, before continuing by road to Amman.
Jordan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates said it was following the crash in coordination with the Egyptian authorities. The ministry confirmed that Jordanian citizens were among the victims and injured passengers.
A team from the Jordanian Embassy in Cairo was dispatched to Nuweiba to follow up on the condition of the injured, identify their needs and coordinate with Egyptian officials. The team is also assisting with procedures for transporting the bodies of Jordanian nationals who died in the crash back to Jordan.
The emergency response began after the South Sinai Security Directorate received a report that a passenger bus had overturned in the Al-Saada area and that there were fatalities and injuries. Security officials, ambulance crews and other emergency personnel immediately moved to the scene.
Rescue teams provided initial assistance before transferring the injured to hospitals and medical centers throughout South Sinai. The bodies of those who died were taken to morgues at designated hospitals and medical facilities while authorities worked to identify the victims and notify their families.
According to preliminary accounts, the crash may have occurred after one of the bus’s tires burst while the vehicle was traveling near Al-Mazina village, shortly before reaching the Al-Saada area. The suspected tire failure may have caused the driver to lose control, resulting in the bus overturning.
Authorities have not yet announced a final determination of responsibility or confirmed the precise cause of the accident. Specialized teams are carrying out inspections, examining the bus and conducting interviews as part of an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash.
The relevant investigative authorities have been notified and are overseeing the legal procedures. The examination is expected to consider the condition of the vehicle, the road and weather conditions, the bus’s speed and the circumstances leading up to the reported tire failure.
South Sinai’s executive authorities are continuing to monitor the situation and coordinate with hospitals, security agencies and ambulance services. Egyptian officials are also working with their Jordanian counterparts on the identification of Jordanian victims, the care of injured nationals and the repatriation of the deceased.
The casualty figures may be revised as the authorities complete their review of the incident. For now, official statements confirm that 22 people died and dozens were injured in one of the most serious recent road accidents reported in the Nuweiba area.
