SportFreak
22-08-06, 16:51
Eight Israeli tourists killed as bus overturns in Sinai
Initial reports from an Egyptian medical source said eight Israeli Arab tourists were killed and at least 20 were injured when their bus overturned near the Sinai peninsula town of Nuweiba.
The Magen David Adom ambulance service received reports that injured tourists were trapped under the overturned bus.
The bus was one of four traveling in a convoy, Foreign Ministry official Danny Miran told Channel 10 TV. He said Israel's consul was on his way to the scene from Cairo.
The tour group was apparently returning to Israel after a trip to the southern Sinai resort town of Sharm a-Sheikh. The group's driver and two tour guides are Egyptian nationals.
Channel 10 reported that Israel's ambassador to Egypt has been in contact with Egyptian authorities and hospitals.
Egyptian authorities, however, informed Israel they are not currently requiring help to rescue those injured in the accident.
Yehuda Shushan, director of MDA's southern district, told Haaretz that efforts were made by the IDF, border officials and the Foreign Ministry to allow the entry of Israeli rescue forces into Sinai to care for the injured and evacuate them to Israel.
"The message we received in response is that they are caring for the casualties and that their rescue forces have evacuated everyone to Nuweiba hospital," Shushan said.
"We strongly hope they will let us into Egypt and will allow us to evacuate the injured Israelis. The Nuweiba hospital is a sort of clinic," Shushan said.
Large MDA, police, firefighter and military medical and rescue forces have assembled at the Taba border crossing between Israel and Egypt in preparation for a possible evacuation.
One report indicated that some of the casualties are being transported north to the Taba crossing in private vehicles belonging to Israeli tourists.
Thirty MDA amublances and six mobile intensive care units have been dispatched from Israel south to the crossing, and Eilat's Yoseftal Medical Center has been put on alert.
MDA has also brought extra supplies of blood to the hospital.
Egypt has a history of serious bus and car crashes on its roads and highways, which are often poorly maintained or without stringent traffic regulations.
Initial reports from an Egyptian medical source said eight Israeli Arab tourists were killed and at least 20 were injured when their bus overturned near the Sinai peninsula town of Nuweiba.
The Magen David Adom ambulance service received reports that injured tourists were trapped under the overturned bus.
The bus was one of four traveling in a convoy, Foreign Ministry official Danny Miran told Channel 10 TV. He said Israel's consul was on his way to the scene from Cairo.
The tour group was apparently returning to Israel after a trip to the southern Sinai resort town of Sharm a-Sheikh. The group's driver and two tour guides are Egyptian nationals.
Channel 10 reported that Israel's ambassador to Egypt has been in contact with Egyptian authorities and hospitals.
Egyptian authorities, however, informed Israel they are not currently requiring help to rescue those injured in the accident.
Yehuda Shushan, director of MDA's southern district, told Haaretz that efforts were made by the IDF, border officials and the Foreign Ministry to allow the entry of Israeli rescue forces into Sinai to care for the injured and evacuate them to Israel.
"The message we received in response is that they are caring for the casualties and that their rescue forces have evacuated everyone to Nuweiba hospital," Shushan said.
"We strongly hope they will let us into Egypt and will allow us to evacuate the injured Israelis. The Nuweiba hospital is a sort of clinic," Shushan said.
Large MDA, police, firefighter and military medical and rescue forces have assembled at the Taba border crossing between Israel and Egypt in preparation for a possible evacuation.
One report indicated that some of the casualties are being transported north to the Taba crossing in private vehicles belonging to Israeli tourists.
Thirty MDA amublances and six mobile intensive care units have been dispatched from Israel south to the crossing, and Eilat's Yoseftal Medical Center has been put on alert.
MDA has also brought extra supplies of blood to the hospital.
Egypt has a history of serious bus and car crashes on its roads and highways, which are often poorly maintained or without stringent traffic regulations.