A tragic bus accident occurred on Monday, October 14, east of Cairo, Egypt, resulting in the death of at least 12 individuals and injuries to 33. The report was confirmed by Egypt’s health ministry, mentioning that the incident happened on the Al-Galala highway linking the capital to the Red Sea coastal towns.
The unfortunate victims were students from Galala University, located in the hills above the Red Sea city of Ain Sokhna, approximately 80 miles east of Cairo. The accident transpired while they were on their way back to the dormitory after attending classes. The health ministry confirmed the dispatch of 28 ambulances to carry the injured to the Suez Medical Complex.
Sada al-Balad, a privately-owned news channel, reported that many of the deceased were medical students. The channel also reported that preliminary investigations suggested the bus driver was driving at a high speed and lost control, leading to the accident. The authorities have detained the driver for further investigation.
Witnesses at the scene described the bus flipping multiple times before stopping. “It was a horrific sight; people were trapped inside,” a survivor informed the Egypt Independent. The incident triggered a wave of condolences and calls for improved road safety measures on social media.
The health ministry did not disclose the conditions of the injured. Nevertheless, emergency services were put on high alert, and medical teams provided immediate assistance. Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar, the Health Minister, and Ayman Ashour, the Higher Education Minister, expressed their condolences to the bereaved families.
According to the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS), road accidents are a significant problem in Egypt, causing thousands of deaths each year. In fact, 7,101 people died in road accidents in 2021, marking a 15.2 percent increase from the preceding year. The main causes of these accidents include speeding, poor road conditions, and inadequate traffic law enforcement.
The latest bus crash occurred only two days following a fatal train collision in the city of Zagazig, northeast of Cairo. On Saturday, two passenger trains collided, resulting in at least three deaths and 49 injuries. Egypt has a frequent occurrence of train accidents due to an outdated railway system and mismanagement.
The government has been striving to enhance transportation safety. Over the past few years, it has initiated several plans to modernize the railway network and improve the road infrastructure. In 2018, President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi estimated that an overhaul of the rail network would require 250 billion Egyptian pounds (around $8.13 billion).
The World Health Organization is assisting Egypt in formulating a national plan for safety promotion and developing an injury surveillance system to address road traffic incidents. The efforts are primarily focused on bettering road safety management, infrastructure, vehicle safety, user behavior, and post-crash response.
Galala University is a significant national project of the government in the Suez governorate. The university community is currently grieving the loss of its students, with many showing their support and solidarity towards the affected families.
