A passenger bus carrying Egyptian and Jordanian nationals overturned Wednesday morning on the Dahab–Nuweiba highway in South Sinai, killing at least 22 people and injuring 28 others.
The crash occurred near the Sa’ada area along the northbound route toward Nuweiba. Egypt’s Ministry of Health and Population initially reported 16 deaths at the scene before updating the fatality count to 22. Emergency services transported 13 patients to Sharm El-Sheikh International Hospital, nine to St. Catherine Hospital, and six to Fayrouz Hospital.
Health Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar placed nearby hospitals on high alert, directing administrators to deploy multidisciplinary medical teams, emergency supplies, and blood reserves.
Emergency services transferred the wounded to medical facilities run by the General Authority for Healthcare. Sharm El-Sheikh International Hospital admitted 13 patients, St. Catherine Hospital received nine, and Fayrouz Hospital took in six others.
Jordan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that its citizens were among the casualties. Official spokesperson Ambassador Fouad Majali stated that the embassy in Cairo is coordinating directly with Egyptian authorities, while a consular team traveled to Nuweiba to assist the injured and arrange the repatriation of the deceased.
The fatal crash occurred on a 70-kilometer corridor that underwent a 208 million EGP overhaul in 2019. Executed by the General Nile Company for Road Construction, the project was intended to support tourism and improve road safety.
Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly has ordered an inter-agency technical committee—comprising representatives from the Transport and Interior ministries, South Sinai Governorate, and the Administrative Control Authority—to investigate the cause of the crash. The panel will inspect the bus’s mechanical condition, evaluate the driver, and assess the structural safety of the renovated roadway.
In response to the tragedy, Social Solidarity Minister Maya Morsi directed local authorities and the Egyptian Red Crescent to deliver immediate relief and logistical support to affected families. Additionally, Financial Regulatory Authority Chairman Islam Azzam ordered the Egyptian Compulsory Vehicle Insurance Pool to fast-track payouts, which stand at 100,000 EGP per fatality, with injury compensation scaled by medical commission disability ratings.
