Egypt suspends tour agencies after fatal coach crash
CAIRO (AFP) — Egypt has suspended three tourist firms pending the outcome of a probe into a coach crash that left eight foreign tourists dead and 29 people hurt, state news agency Mena said on Friday.
Six Russians, a Ukrainian and a Romanian died early Thursday morning when the coach, carrying 40 people, left the road, hit a concrete barrier, rolled over and burst into flames about 70 kilometres (45 miles) south of Suez.
A ninth fatality was the Egyptian back-up driver, while the actual driver survived.
Sixteen Russian tourists, along with two Romanians, two Italians, two Britons, two Canadians and a Ukrainian were injured. In addition, two Egyptian policeman and a tourist guide were also hurt.
The bus, which belonged to Azure Travel, was travelling from the Sinai resort of Sharm el-Sheikh to Cairo. Clients of the Nasr Travel and Infinity Transport agencies were also on board.
Spokeswoman Hala al-Khatib said Tourism Minister Zuhair Garana had decided that "these agencies will be banned until the end of the investigation to determine responsibility for the accident."
The initial investigation showed that the driver was traveling too fast as he tried to negotiate a sharp curve.
Each year about 6,000 people die and 30,000 are hurt in road accidents in Egypt.
In March, 23 people were killed when two trucks collided head on. The previous month, 29 people were killed in a pile-up on a road south of Cairo in an accident blamed on fog.
Traffic regulations in Egypt are often badly enforced and vehicles poorly maintained. Many coastal and desert roads allow for high speeds, and accidents caused by reckless overtaking are frequent.
Millions of tourists visit the country every year, with their spending accounting for almost 20 percent of foreign currency receipts.
