At least 21 people were killed on Saturday, November 12, when a bus tragically toppled and plunged into a canal in Egypt’s Nile River Delta region, according to Egypt’s Ministry of Health.
The ill-fated bus was carrying 35 passengers when the driver lost control, sending the bus tumbling off the highway and into the Mansuriya Canal in Aga, located in Egypt’s northern region of Dakahlia, approximately 62 miles from the capital city of Cairo.
Dr. Sherif Makeen, who works for the Egyptian Ministry of Health, said that three children were among those who lost their lives, but they had not yet confirmed their nationalities. Six others were injured and taken to a nearby hospital.
According to local media reports, Brig. Mohamed Abdel Hadi, the head of police investigations in Dakahlia Province, said that the vehicle may have developed issues with the steering wheel, causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle.
Reports indicate that the bus, headed to Mansoura City, was severely damaged, and its windows shattered due to the crash, as can be seen in images shown by media.
Police quickly cordoned off the accident scene as a huge crowd gathered around the scene to watch rescue efforts by emergency rescue forces.
Witnesses shared images of the accident on social media, and they showed the red and white bus in the canal with many people lined up on the road next to the accident scene as rescue efforts continued.
More photos from the incident show a few passengers who had managed to escape standing on top of the bus, which was completely submerged in water.
Egyptian roads have become very hazardous recently, with thousands of people losing their lives from car accidents, primarily due to poor road maintenance and careless drivers who fail to follow driving rules.
The country’s most significant causes of road accidents are bad roads, speeding, and little or no enforcement of traffic rules.
Around 7,000 people lost their lives in Egypt in 2021 from road accidents. In October, 11 people were killed and nine injured when a truck rammed into a minibus in Dakahlia. The minibus, carrying 14 passengers, was heading to a highway bridge when a speeding lorry from the opposite side slammed into the minibus.
In July, 25 people were killed and 35 injured when a passenger bus rammed into a trailer parked on a highway in Minya Province.