27 Dec 2010

Tourists killed in coach crash in Egypt

7:15 pm on 27 December 2010

Eight American tourists died and 21 were injured when their bus hit a stationary lorry in southern Egypt.

The crash happened around dawn on Sunday as the bus was travelling from Aswan to the ancient temple site of Abu Simbel.

The Mena news agency reported a bus driver and a tour guide were also hurt.

The injured were taken to a military hospital in Aswan. Four were in a critical condition.

The BBC reports they were in a convoy of three coaches, going from Aswan to Abu Simbel, a distance of 185km.

One of the coaches struck a lorry laden with sand which had broken down and was parked at the side of the road.

Mena reported six of the dead were women.

Passengers in the other two coaches were unharmed.

Road accidents are common in Egypt due to poor roads. An estimated 8000 people die in car accidents each year.