Nile Ferry Accident: 16 Perish

by Jordan Yerman | December 22, 2007 at 01:28 pm

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A minibus fell off of a ferry as it boarded, sixteen of its passengers drowning before a successful rescue attempt could be carried out. At last report, rescue workers were still searching for survivors. The driver of the bus is in police custody.

At least 16 people have died after a ferry accident on the River Nile, Egyptian police say.

The accident happened near the town of Minya, some 250km (160 miles) south of Cairo, when a minibus fell off the ferry and into the water.

Most of the passengers were returning to Cairo after visiting relatives during the festival of Eid al-Adha.

From slightly earlier:

They said 11 bodies had been pulled from the river near the town of Minya after the accident, which is the third major transport mishap in Egypt since the start of the Muslim Eid al-Adha holiday on Tuesday.

Rescuers were searching for the bodies of another five people who were believed to be trapped underwater inside the minibus, and state media reported that three people had survived with injuries.

Security sources said the minibus had driven aboard the ferry but then fell from the deck while the boat was still at the shore. State news agency MENA said it fell while boarding.