At least 53 people are dead after a bus packed with passengers plunged into a canal south of Cairo.
Rescue workers retrieve a bus that plunged into a canal near the Egyptian village of Dahrut
Authorities have said the bus swerved off the road to avoid a collision with an oncoming truck while on route to Cairo from the southern city of Minya.
The death toll was initially put at 36, but police divers have since recovered a further 17 bodies from the Ibrahimiya canal – one the largest irrigation canals in the world.
State news agency Mena claims the bus had been carrying around 70 passengers at the time of the crash, and expects the death toll to rise.
One security source said most of the dead drowned in the canal, while nine others have been taken to hospital in southern Egypt.
The crash is believed to have happened when the driver lost control of the vehicle while attempting to overtake another.
The bus driver and the truck driver survived the incident and are being held by police for questioning.
Speeding, careless driving and poor road conditions are blamed for the high number of traffic accidents in Egypt.
In August, a new highway code was introduced to improve road safety, but following an initial crackdown there appears to have been little follow-up.
Only last week, 15 students were killed when their bus overturned while travelling from Minya.
http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Wor...ges_Into_Canal
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