Twelve people were killed and 30 others injured on Tuesday when a private-company passenger bus collided with a heavy truck on the Cairo-Assiut Western Desert Road, according to Egypt’s Health Ministry.
The crash occurred at kilometre 55 in the direction of Dahshur Gate.
The Egyptian Ambulance Authority dispatched 28 ambulances to the scene, while the injured were taken to 6 October Central Hospital for examination and medical assessment.
Health Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar ordered hospitals near the crash site to raise their state of readiness and provide all necessary medical care to the injured.
The ministry said the casualty figures were preliminary and that assessment and follow-up operations were continuing.
Initial information indicated that large sections of the bus had been damaged in the collision with the heavy truck.
Following the crash, Financial Regulatory Authority (FRA) Chairperson Islam Azzam ordered procedures to be expedited to ensure compensation payments to the victims and injured passengers.
Compensation for each death is set at EGP 100,000, while payments to injured passengers will be determined according to the degree of disability and the provisions of Egypt’s Unified Insurance Law, subject to the submission of the required documentation.
The Health Ministry offered its condolences to the victims’ families and said further updates would be announced as they became available.