Egypt Daily News – The Public Prosecution in Menoufia Governorate began investigations today, Saturday, with the driver of the heavy transport truck (trailer) responsible for the horrific collision on the Regional Road in the Ashmoun district. The accident resulted in the death of 19 girls and the injury of 3 others, most of whom were from the village of Kafr El-Sanabsa in the Menouf district.
Details of the Accident and the Driver’s Confession
During the investigation, the trailer driver admitted that he lost control of the steering wheel due to excessive speed, which caused him to break through the central barrier of the road and crash directly into a minibus carrying a group of girls who worked at a factory in the nearby industrial zone.
The driver told investigators that he tried to avoid the crash but could not control the vehicle, which was moving at high speed, leading to a violent collision that completely destroyed the minibus. He also stated that he was not under the influence of any drugs or sedatives, according to his initial testimony. However laboratory analysis of a sample taken from him confirmed that he was under the influence of narcotic substances at the time of the incident.
Prosecution Measures and Site Inspection
A team from the Public Prosecution visited the accident site to conduct an inspection and requested a police investigation into the circumstances and details of the incident. Both vehicles involved in the crash were seized for technical inspection by the General Directorate of Traffic.
Aftermath and Official Response
Menoufia Governorate woke up on Friday morning to one of the most tragic accidents in its history, when a speeding heavy transport truck crashed into a minibus carrying working girls on the Regional Road in the Ashmoun district.
The crash resulted in the deaths of 19 girls, most of them under the age of 18, and injuries to 3 others. The bodies and injured were transported to the hospitals of Quesna, El Bagour, Ashmoun, and Sers El-Layan.
The incident received wide official attention. Governor Ibrahim Abu Limon declared a state of mourning in the governorate and gave orders to quickly provide medical and psychological support to the victims’ families. The Directorate of Social Solidarity confirmed that procedures had begun to disburse the necessary compensations. The victims were laid to rest in a solemn mass funeral in the village of Kafr El-Sanabsa.
The Public Prosecution ordered a full investigation into the incident amid growing public demands for stricter supervision of the Regional Road and the provision of safe transportation for daily laborers, especially young women.
President Sisi
President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi directed the government to increase compensation by 100,000 Egyptian pounds for each death case and 25,000 pounds for each injury case, in addition to the amounts already determined by the Ministries of Labor and Social Solidarity regarding the Ashmoun Road accident.
He also instructed the government to closely monitor the maintenance and repair of roads, especially the Regional Ring Road, and to expedite the completion of those works. The President emphasized the need to ensure that clear signage is in place in repair zones and that road paths are clearly marked. He also called for the immediate removal of any obstacles that could lead to accidents on these roads, in addition to enforcing speed monitoring.
Government Increases Compensation for Ashmoun Road Accident Victims to 500,000 EGP per Death
Dr. Maya Morsy, Minister of Social Solidarity, and Mohamed Gebran, Minister of Labor, have directed the Central Administration for Social Protection at the Ministry of Social Solidarity, the General Administration for Informal Labor, and the Menoufia Labor Directorate to take immediate action to increase compensation for the victims of the Menoufia road accident.
The new compensation amounts will now reach 500,000 Egyptian pounds for the family of each deceased victim, and 70,000 pounds for each injured individual. These measures are being implemented promptly by both ministries in response to the scale and impact of the tragedy.
