Dubai: At least 13 people were killed and dozens injured on Tuesday when a passenger bus collided with a heavy goods vehicle on Egypt's Cairo–Assiut Western Desert Road, according to local media reports.
The crash occurred at kilometre 55, near the regional ring road junction in the direction of Giza, when the bus struck the rear of a truck.
Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click here.
Initial reports put the number of injured at 33, but later accounts from Egyptian newspapers reported between 34 and 40 injuries.
Meanwhile, Egypt's Health Ministry separately confirmed a preliminary toll of 12 deaths and 30 injured people transferred to hospital, saying the casualty count was still being updated.
The collision involved a bus operated by a private company and a heavy goods vehicle near the Dahshour toll gate, the ministry said.
Health Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar ordered emergency medical assistance for the victims and directed nearby hospitals to raise their state of readiness.
According to the Health Ministry, the Egyptian Ambulance Authority dispatched 28 ambulances to the scene and transported 30 injured passengers to 6 October Central Hospital for examinations and treatment.
The bus, travelling from Upper Egypt, struck a stationary truck. The impact was so severe that the bus split into two, Local media said.
Preliminary traffic investigations raised the possibility that the bus driver had fallen asleep at the wheel, although authorities have not established the cause of the collision. Other early reports suggested excessive speed may have contributed.
Police and emergency teams from 6 October, Fayoum and Beni Suef responded to the crash, while traffic authorities deployed recovery vehicles to clear the wreckage and restore traffic flow.
The bodies of the victims were taken to hospital mortuaries pending identification and legal procedures. Prosecutors have opened an investigation into the circumstances of the collision.
The Health Ministry said its figures were preliminary and urged the public to rely on official updates as authorities continued to assess the casualties.
The Assiut Western Road is a major highway in Egypt connecting the capital city of Cairo to the Upper Egypt governorate of Assiut