A bus overturned on the Dahab-Nuweiba road in South Sinai, Egypt, on September 2, killing between 16 and 22 people and injuring 28 others.

The bus was carrying about 43 passengers, including 22 Jordanian citizens, traveling from Cairo to Amman. Among the dead were reportedly 10 Jordanians, authorities said. The accident happened on the desert highway linking the popular Red Sea resort towns of Dahab and Nuweiba, an area known for its beaches, coral reefs, and mountain hiking. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]

Initial reports from the Egyptian Health Ministry put the death toll at 16, later raised to 22 fatalities. Officials dispatched 20 ambulances to the scene to provide emergency medical aid. The 28 injured were taken to hospitals for treatment. Ministry spokesman Hossam Abdel Ghaffar said, "20 ambulances were dispatched to the scene after authorities received a report of the accident." Health Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar ordered hospitals to raise preparedness and ensure adequate care, medicines, and supplies for the wounded. [1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 5, 9, 10, 11, 6]

The exact cause of the crash remains under investigation. Preliminary findings suggest the bus may have been traveling at high speed and could have suffered a tire blowout. Road accidents are common in Egypt, with nearly 6,000 deaths nationwide reported in 2025. The country has seen several deadly crashes involving buses and informal passenger vehicles in recent months. [1, 2, 12, 8, 9, 10, 6]

Egyptian public transport relies heavily on informal minibuses, which face safety and regulatory challenges. Mohamed, an Egyptian minibus driver, said, "Minibus drivers behave like road bullies, driving recklessly with often poor vehicle conditions." Samia, a domestic worker, described the difficulties passengers face, saying, "Traveling to the city requires changing minibuses three times; the vehicles often break down causing long waits." [9, 10]

Previous deadly road accidents occurred in August 2026 in various governorates, including Ismailia. In May 2026, Cairo opened the East Nile Monorail as a higher-cost alternative to minibuses. [3, 12, 8, 9, 10]

Authorities continue to investigate the crash cause while treating the injured. Recovery and medical aid efforts remain active following the accident.