Bus carrying university students crashes in Egypt, killing 12 and injuring 33

CAIRO -- A bus carrying university students crashed and overturned on a highway in northeastern Egypt Monday, killing 12 people and injuring 33 others, the health ministry said in a statement.

Students from the Suez-based Galala University were on board. Local media reported they were returning from their classes to their dormitory in Ain Sokhna resort, using the new Galala highway, when the accident happened, and that the driver was arrested as part of an investigation into the crash.

The ministry didn’t reveal what caused the accident.

The statement Monday night said 28 ambulances rushed to the site and transported the injured to the Suez Medical Complex, but didn't disclose their condition.

Minister of Health, Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar, and Minister of High Education, Ayman Ashour, expressed their condolences to the families of the students.

Deadly traffic accidents claim thousands of lives every year in Egypt, which has a poor transportation safety record. Speeding, bad roads, and poor enforcement of traffic laws mostly cause the collisions.