At least 16 people have been killed and 28 more injured after a bus crash in the South Sinai area of Egypt, authorities have said.
The bus overturned on the Dahab-Nuweibaa road, in the South Sinai area of the country, according to Egyptian Health Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar. The bus was heading towards the city of Nuweiba, a coastal town in the eastern part of the Sinai Peninsula, confirmed the Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population.
Emergency response and casualties
Local authorities said once the report was received the central operations room was activated and 20 ambulances were deployed to the scene, where all 16 victims were pronounced dead. A further 28 injured people were taken to local hospitals, confirmed the authorities.
The Health Minister said all measures are being taken "to provide the highest level of medical care to the injured, to provide all necessary supplies and medicines, and to maintain continuous coordination with the relevant authorities in South Sinai Governorate". Abdel Ghaffar added that he directed Dr. Ahmed El-Sobky, Head of the Health Care Authority, "to provide the highest level of medical care to the injured, ensure the provision of all necessary supplies and medications, and maintain ongoing coordination with the relevant authorities in South Sinai Governorate".
Official statements and context
A spokesperson for the ministry said "all medical teams are operating at full capacity to handle the incident with utmost efficiency and speed". The ministry "extends its sincere condolences to the families of the victims and wishes a speedy recovery to all the injured", the statement added.
Last month, 15 people were killed and 32 injured in a road accident in Egypt's Ismailia Governorate. The southern Sinai Peninsula is a popular tourism hub renowned for its rugged and mountainous terrain and is where Egypt meets the Red Sea. The Peninsula includes the popular cities of Sharm El-Sheik, Dahab and St Catherine.
