At least 15 passengers died Thursday night as a transportation ferry sank in Kafr El-Sheikh, according to state media.
Five passengers were rescued from the sinking ship while the bodies of the 15 who died were recovered from the water. The number of passengers originally onboard the ferry is still unknown.
The rescued passengers were transferred to the nearest hospital to receive medical attention. The newly appointed Governor of Kafr El-Sheikh Al-Sayed Nasr ordered compensation of EGP 10,000 be dispensed to the family of each victim, while EGP 5,000 would be dispensed to those wounded in the accident.
The ferry was traveling from the village of Sendeon to the village of Rahamnea. It is still not known whether the accident was due to unforeseen weather conditions or a technical malfunction.
Last July, 35 people were killed when a barge collided with a cruise boat, sinking the smaller boat in the area of Warraq in Giza.
