Bus accident in Egypt: 14 tourists killed

A tourist bus overturned on a highway in southern Egypt early Tuesday, killing 14 tourists from Hong Kong and injuring 30 more, some critically, Egypt's news agency reported. The tourist bus was on its way from the Red Sea resort of Hurghada to the ancient historic city of Luxor farther south when it overturned, said the Middle East News Agency.

Some of the injured were in critical condition and others were in moderate condition, said Mohammed al-Sayed, the director of Hurghada General Hospital. In Hong Kong, a spokesman for the tour agency, Jetour, said a total of 43 tourists were on the bus, 16 men, 24 women and three children, and that the tour guide was among those critically injured.

The tour group had set off from Hong Kong on Friday, and the bus accident happened about 7 a.m. local time, said the tour agency spokesman, Chow Wing-keung.

"Our local staff are now helping in the hospital," said Chow. "We hope we could arrange staff, relations and officials to fly into Hurghada tonight."

Al-Sayed, the hospital director, urged Egypt's central Health Ministry to send air transport to Hurghada to take some of the injured to hospitals in Cairo. It was not immediately clear if that was being done.

The bus was speeding and rolled over while taking a bend in the road, just outside Hurghada, the official news agency said. Road accidents are common in Egypt because of bad roads and poor enforcement of traffic laws. Police estimate road accidents kill about 6,000 people each year, reports the AP. I.L.