Ferry Tragedy Strikes Nile: 10 Lives Lost, 5 Survive in Cairo Disaster

A tragic incident occurred on the Nile River just outside Cairo as a ferry carrying day laborers sank, resulting in the loss of at least 10 lives out of the 15 individuals on board, as confirmed by authorities on Monday.

The Ministry of Manpower reported that the five survivors received medical attention at a hospital and were later discharged. However, the cause of the ferry sinking remains unclear.

In response to the disaster, the ministry announced compensation of 200,000 Egyptian pounds (approximately $6,466) for each family of the deceased and 20,000 pounds ($646) for each of the five injured survivors.

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The laborers were en route to a local construction site when the tragedy unfolded. Recovery efforts by rescue teams lasted for hours, with local media broadcasting live-stream footage on social media platforms, capturing divers scouring the riverbed as anxious villagers waited on the banks.

The incident occurred in Monshat el-Kanater, located in Giza, one of Greater Cairo’s three constituent provinces. Boating remains a common mode of transportation for many Egyptians, particularly in Upper Egypt and the Nile Delta, and is also a popular leisure activity during holidays.

Unfortunately, accidents involving ferries, railways, and roads are frequent in Egypt, often attributed to inadequate maintenance and lax regulations. Notably, in 2022, two individuals died and eight were reported missing when a small truck slid off a ferry into the Nile, while in 2015, a collision between a passenger boat and a scow on the Nile claimed the lives of 35 people.