At least 12 people were killed and 30 others injured on Tuesday when a bus collided with a heavy truck on a vital highway linking Egypt's capital to the south, the Health Ministry said.
Ministry spokesperson Hossam Abdel Ghaffar said that 28 ambulances were dispatched to the accident site at kilometer 55 of Cairo-Assiut Western Desert Road.
He said 30 injured people were transferred to a hospital for medical examination and treatment.
Health Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar directed nearby hospitals to raise their emergency preparedness levels and provide all necessary medical assistance to the victims, according to the ministry.
The ministry stressed that the casualty figures were preliminary and that assessments were continuing.
According to the local newspaper Sada Al-Balad, the collision involved a bus and a heavy transport truck on the highway near the entrance to the regional road toward Giza.
Authorities were continuing to deal with the aftermath of the crash and taking the necessary legal measures, it added.
