Then it went over. Security sources said that at least 25 bodies have been identified by their relatives. A crane hauled the crushed and overturned bus, dripping mud and weeds, back onto the bridge. Police were investigating the bus for any mechanical failures. Eyewitnesses say the bus was speeding and that the driver lost control while taking a bend in the bridge.
Public buses are an inexpensive and popular means of transport for many people in Cairo.
The bus was travelling on a route between Giza and Ain Shams in north Cairo. Buses are usually overcrowded, with people standing in the aisles and some hanging out of the open doors. Cairo bus drivers, mostly inexperienced army officers, are notorious for their reckless driving. Residents say that drivers on the bridge in Rod al-Farag often take shortcuts across parts of its exit and entrance ramps to avoid traffic, some times veering briefly into oncoming cars. Copyright 1997 by United Press International.