6 Belgian tourists die in Egypt bus crash

Source: Agencies  |   2008-11-1  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

A TOURIST bus overturned in southern Egypt, killing six Belgian tourists and injuring 26 other Belgian passengers early yesterday, a securityofficial said.

The bus was en route from the southern city of Aswan to the ancient temple at Abu Simbel, a famous tourist attraction, the official said.

He added that the driver was speeding and lost control, veered off the road and causing the bus to overturn several times.

The official said that 21 of the injured have been taken to Abu Simbel International hospital.

Egypt's state-run news agency MENA said four of the injured were in critical condition and were evacuated by military helicopters to hospitals in Cairo for urgent surgeries.

In Brussels, Belgian Foreign Ministry spokesman Francois Delhaye confirmed that 30 Belgian nationals were involved in the accident and that six of them had died.

It was not immediately clear why there was a discrepancy in the figures, with Egypt saying 32 Belgians were involved in the accident.

Delhaye said Belgian authorities were in "constant contact" with tour operators and Egyptian authorities to aid the injured and to ensure their quick return to Belgium.

The tour operator that ran the trip said it was trying to ensure the Belgians return to Brussels by today.

Egypt has a history of serious bus and car crashes because of speeding, careless driving and poor road conditions.

At least 8,000 people were killed in accidents in 2006, the most recent statistics available.