33 die in Egypt bus-truck collision

updated 11:08 p.m. ET Nov. 7, 2004

CAIRO, Egypt - A passenger bus returning to Egypt from Saudi Arabia collided with a truck Sunday, killing 33 people, police said.

The accident happened at an intersection near Samalut, some 125 miles south of Cairo, after the truck failed to give way to the bus, police said.

The bus was carrying workers returning home from Saudi Arabia to Egypt for a three-day Muslim holiday period expected to begin Sunday to mark the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

Police said earlier that Egyptian pilgrims returning from the Saudi holy city of Mecca were among the dead. But after checking identification documents of those killed, police later said all those who died were workers.

The official said the bus driver was among those killed, while 14 people were injured, including the truck driver.

Vehicle accidents are common in Egypt because of bad roads, high speeds and poor enforcement of traffic laws. Police statistics showed that some 8,000 people were killed and 320,000 injured in accidents in 2003.

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