Nile Tragedy: Ferry Accident Results in the Death of at Least 10
A tragic incident occurred near the Egyptian capital as a ferry carrying day laborers sank in the Nile River, resulting in the loss of at least 10 lives out of the 15 individuals on board, according to authorities on Monday.
The Ministry of Manpower stated that the five survivors were taken to a hospital and later discharged. The cause of the sinking has not been immediately clarified.
The laborers were en route to their workplace at a local construction firm when the ferry sank. The ministry promptly compensated 200,000 Egyptian pounds (approximately $6,466) to each deceased’s family and 20,000 Egyptian pounds ($646) to the five injured.
The rescue operation took several hours, with live-streamed videos on social media platforms showing divers searching for bodies while villagers waited on the Nile banks. The incident unfolded in the town of Monshat el-Kanater in Giza, one of the provinces forming Greater Cairo.
Daily boat travel is standard in Egypt, particularly in Upper Egypt and the Nile Delta. Sailing along the Nile is also a popular leisure activity during holidays in the country.
Egypt has witnessed frequent ferry, railway, and road accidents, often attributed to poor maintenance and a lack of regulatory measures. In a similar incident in 2022, two people died, and eight went missing when a small truck slid off a ferry into the Nile. Additionally, in 2015, a collision between a passenger boat and a scow on the Nile claimed the lives of 35 people.
The recent ferry sinking highlights the ongoing challenges associated with transportation safety and infrastructure in Egypt, emphasizing the need for enhanced measures to prevent such tragic incidents in the future.
