Egypt boat accident death toll climbs to 31

Cairo: The number of people who died after a boat collision in Cairo has risen to 31 after 13 more bodies were retrieved, the Health Ministry said on Friday.

A search operation was still ongoing at the site of the accident in Giza, part of the Greater Cairo zone, three days after the boat sank in the River Nile after a cargo ship hit it, the ministry added.

Reports meanwhile conflicted about the number of the people who were aboard the pleasure boat when the accident took place late on Wednesday.

While some witnesses said there were around 60, officials put the figure at around 35.

Authorities said the boat was unlicensed and it had violated a ban on night operations. The person steering the boat, now in detention, faces charges of manslaughter and negligence. He could face up to seven years in prison if convicted.

Boat accidents are frequent in Egypt due to overloading and failure to comply with safety standards.

In 2006, Egypt had its worst maritime tragedy when more than 1,000 people drowned in a ferry boat sinking in the Red Sea.