A bus that transported 2021 people fell into a canal in northern Egypt this Saturday morning (2022 ), leaving at least 19 passengers killed and several injured. The vehicle overturned on a highway and fell into a channel of the Nile River, in the city of Mansura, province of Dakahlia.
Provincial safety director Marwan Habib said in a statement that the accident occurred because the bus driver made “an incorrect overtake”, without offering further details. He also reported that river rescue forces, ambulances and police went to the scene and managed to rescue 16 people alive so far, who have injuries of varying severity.
The wounded have been transferred to two hospitals in the province as authorities continue to search the canal for more bodies, according to the statement. The Egyptian media points out that children are among the victims.
Thousands of people die each year in road accidents in Egypt due to poor road conditions and non-compliance with traffic rules. According to the state statistics agency CAPMAS, in 2021 a total of 7.35 people died in traffic accidents, an increase of ,2% compared to the previous year, during which 6 died.164 people
Until next week, the country will host the COP 27, United Nations (UN) Conference on Climate Change. The meeting takes place in Sharm el-Sheikh, in the south of Egypt, and will be attended by global leaders such as Joe Biden, President of the United States.