Egypt bus crashes leave 32 dead

Thirty-two people have been killed and 54 injured in two separate bus crashes in southern Egypt, the official Mena news agency says.

In the first crash, 14 tourists from Hong Kong were killed and 30 wounded when their bus overturned on a motorway near the Red Sea resort of Hurghada.

Later, 18 Egyptians were killed and 24 injured when their bus collided with a lorry in Qina, north of Luxor.

Egypt has one of the highest traffic accident rates in the world.

Police say around 6,000 Egyptians die in road accidents each year.

Many drivers ignore road safety regulations and roads are often poorly maintained.

Speeding

The first bus had been speeding when it overturned on a bend on the Safaga-Hurghada road at 0600 (0400 GMT), Mena reported.

The wounded, including one Egyptian, were taken to hospitals in Hurghada.

The sales director of the tour agency, Jetour, said the Egyptian authorities had not yet provided them with details about the casualties.

But Chow Wing-keung said 43 tourists - 16 men, 24 women and three children - had been on the bus and that it had been en route to Luxor.

"Our local staff are now helping in the hospital," Mr Chow said.

"We hope we can arrange staff, relations and officials to fly into Hurghada tonight."

Hong Kong Secretary for Security Ambrose Lee said the government was "shocked and saddened" by the tragedy.

Four immigration officials and two hospital staff are due to arrive in Hurghada on Wednesday, he added.

The tour group had left Hong Kong for their 10-day trip on Friday, a day before the beginning of Chinese New Year.

Earlier this month, six Australians were killed and 24 wounded when their bus overturned in wet conditions on the main Cairo-Alexandria motorway.