The public prosecutor in North Sinai summoned the commander of the Central Security Forces in the governorate for testimony about the traffic accident that took place near the Egypt-Israel border on Sunday. The accident led to the death of 21 recruits and the injury of 27 others.
A troop carrier overturned on a mountain road. The Health Ministry said the driver of the vehicle was speeding downhill on the badly maintained single-lane road as he transported members of the paramilitary Central Security Forces along the borderline.
Prosecutors also decided to summon the head of the vehicles department in the Central Security Forces to question him over the condition of the vehicle and the number of passengers it was allowed to carry, as well as to check whether the driver who died had a license.
A joint committee of prosecutors and traffic police moved to the site of the accident to inspect it and prepare a detailed report on the accident.
Head of Arish Public Hospital Samy Anwar said all the bodies of the dead recruits as well as their injured colleagues were transferred to Cairo. and handed over to the families.
Anwar said most of the injuries resulted from hitting a solid object after the car rolled over. He denied that some soldiers were shot, stressing that these are rumors.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
