At least six women perished in Egypt on Tuesday when a vehicle ferrying approximately two dozen passengers veered off a ferry and plunged into the Nile River close to Cairo.
The Indian Express cited statements from the Egyptian Health Ministry which indicated that the incident occurred in the town of Monshat el-Kanater within Giza province, included in Greater Cairo.
Nine individuals were reported to have been injured in the mishap. While six received treatment at the location, three were taken to hospitals. Specifics regarding the severity of their injuries were not disclosed.
According to Giza Governor Ahmed Rashed, the microbus was retrieved from the Nile, with rescue efforts continuing as of Tuesday midday (India is 2 hours and 30 minutes ahead of Egypt). The reason for the accident has yet to be determined.
The state-owned Akhbar daily reported that the microbus, carrying around two dozen passengers, mostly women, was en route to work when the incident took place.
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Regular Ferry Mishaps
In February this year, a ferry transporting laborers sank in the Nile near Giza, leading to the death of at least 10 out of the 15 passengers on board.
According to a report from news agency AP, government officials mentioned that the five survivors were promptly taken to a hospital and subsequently released. The exact cause of the accident was not specified.
This tragic event took place in the town of Monshat el-Kanater in Giza, one of the three provinces that form Greater Cairo.
In a similar incident in 2022, a small truck fell off a ferry into the Nile, causing two fatalities and leaving eight people unaccounted for. Back in 2015, a collision between a passenger boat and a barge on the Nile resulted in 35 deaths.
Frequent ferry, railway, and road accidents in Egypt have been attributed to poor maintenance and insufficient regulatory measures.
