Cairo: Egypt's state news agency says four girls died when their pleasure boat sank in the Nile river south of Cairo.

The official Middle East News Agency said the girls were apparently on a church-organized trip along the river near the south Cairo neighborhood of Tora on Thursday.

MENA said three other girls were rescued.

It was not clear why the boat sunk. MENA says it was only a few meters into the water when the boat went under.

Egypt has frequent transportation accidents, mainly because of poor infrastructure. A ferry sinking in 2006 killed more than 1,000 people.