Indian tourist killed in Egypt bus accident, Embassy says 16 nationals onboard

An Indian national was killed in an accident when a bus, carrying 16 Indian tourists, crashed into a truck near Ain Sokhna resort on the Red Sea on December 28. Indian Embassy in Cairo took to Twitter to provide the confirmation and said that Embassy officials are present at hospitals in Suez city as well as Cairo. The Embassy also shared helpline numbers through the post which was retweeted by Miniter of External Affairs S Jaishankar and Minister of State for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan.

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According to media reports, six people died in the accident which included one Indian man, two Malaysian women and three Egyptians - bus driver, tour guide and a security guard. Several others were injured with some of them in critical condition but the details of the victims have not been disclosed yet. Ain Sokhna is a tourist attraction for its popular seaside resort town in the southeast of Cairo which is also home to several petrochemical, ceramics and steel factories. 

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Another accident within hours

Within hours, other 22 people were killed and eight were injured in accident when a bus carrying textile workers reportedly collided with a car on a road connecting Port Said and Damietta in northern Egypt. Road accidents have become a matter of concern in Egypt due to poorly maintained roads and lack of proper traffic regulations. Though the number of accidents and casualties have been a worrying sign for road safety in the African nation, it has been on a decline as compared to past years. 

According to official data, 8,480 road accidents occurred in 2018, less than the previous year’s number which stood at 11,098. In 2016, while more than 5,000 died in road accidents in Egypt, the number came down of 3,747 in 2017 followed by 3,087 deaths in 2018.

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(With inputs from agencies)