Tourist bus crashes in Egypt, killing 12

Collision with speeding truck occurred in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula

Top slideshows

EPA	Let there be lights! Cities and towns across the globe have illuminated and unveiled decorations in anticipation of the upcoming holidays.
	New in Vegas In Sin City, there’s always something making headlines — and something else waiting to steal its thunder.
AP	Oasis of the Seas The world’s largest cruise ship offers adventures galore on the high seas.

updated 1:20 p.m. ET Sept. 15, 2008

CAIRO, Egypt - A collision between a tourist bus and a speeding truck in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula killed 12 people and wounded 33 early Monday, according to officials.

The head of the Suez region's tourist services, Farouk Huzayem, said those killed were five foreigners and seven Egyptians. The bodies of two Ukrainians have been identified, he added.

Huzayem said the accident took place six miles (10 kilometers) from the Red Sea resort town of Ras Sidr when the speeding truck burst a tire and its driver lost control and crashed into the bus.

Story continues below ↓

advertisement | your ad here

The head of emergency services for Southern Sinai, Ibrahim Hassan, had earlier said the dead included seven tourists from the Netherlands, Russia and Ukraine, and five Egyptians. There was no immediate explanation available for the discrepancy.

Egypt has a history of serious bus and car crashes because of speeding, careless driving and poor road conditions. At least 8,000 people were killed in accidents in 2006, the most recent statistics available.

Don't miss these Travel stories from msnbc.com
New York City’s hottest hot chocolate
5 common travel mistakes — and how to fix them
World’s weirdest travel gadgets
Welcome to the world’s friendliest countries
Airlines want your money, but not your cash