Four Britons In Egypt Bus Crash

British nationals are believed to have been hurt in a bus crash in Egypt.

It is thought that nine people have been killed and a further 16 have been injured.

Reports say that four British holidaymakers have been injured although the Foreign Office has not confirmed this or whether any Britons are among the dead.

The accident happened when the bus overturned at a sharp curve in the highway at Abu Zenima, on route to the Sinai resort of Sharm el-Sheikh to the Egyptian capital, Cairo. Fire then swept through the bus.

It is reported that the bus was carrying around 40 tourists from Canada, Italy, Russia, the Ukraine and those from the UK.

Security officials say that 13 Russians, two Canadians, two Italians, two Romanians, one Ukrainian and four Egyptians were injured, although this has not been confirmed.

Siad Issa, head of the emergency Services in the Sinai said that many victims suffered severe burns and that the death toll could rise.

An Egyptian news source said that eight people were burnt to death while a Canadian woman has since had her leg amputated.

The cause of the accident is as yet unknown although one report suggests says that the driver lost control of the vehicle causing it to flip over.

In February, 29 people were killed and 16 others injured in a bus collision on a road south of Cairo.

Recent statistics show that at least 8,000 people were killed in accidents on Egyptian roads in one year, because of speeding, careless driving and poor road conditions.

Egypt is not alone in such incidents. Last month in Spain, a Málaga car driver was remanded in prison charged with causing a coach crash in Benalmádena in which nine tourists died.

The 27 year-old appeared in court in Torremolinos wearing a neck brace after being released from hospital following surgery.

Spaniard, Jesús G.R., who is alleged to have caused the coach crash on April 19th, in which the nine Finnish tourists - including a seven year old girl - lost their lives, has been ordered to prison without bail by the judge.

He is thought to have lost control of his Kia four-wheel drive vehicle while overtaking the bus at speed on a curve on the A7 motorway, crashing into the bus and causing it to overturn.

He now faces nine charges of serious negligence resulting in death, and 41 counts of serious negligence resulting in injury.

There is also a charge of dangerous driving, and another of driving while under the influence of alcohol. He had breath tested at 0.50 milligrams of alcohol after the accident, double the legal limit in Spain.

(DS)