Two Israeli tourists were killed and seven others injured when their minibus collided with a lorry in the southern region of Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, police said.
The accident took place late on Tuesday on the coastal road between the port of Nuweibaa and the resort town of Dahab. Both are on the Red Sea’s Gulf of Aqaba.
Israeli emergency services said the injured were transported to hospitals in Israel and that none had suffered life-threatening injuries.
Thousands of lives are lost in road accidents every year in Egypt.
The state’s statistics agency says 7,101 people were killed in traffic accidents last year. Most of the accidents are blamed on speeding.
The resorts of southern Sinai — world famous for diving, golden beaches and pristine waters — are very popular with Israeli tourists, who can travel there by car and receive visas on arrival.
The Israel Airports Authority, which oversees the border crossing between Egypt and Israel at the town of Taba, says 1.4 million Israelis crossed into Sinai by car in 2019. This year, more than 330,000 Israeli tourists crossed into Egypt by early June.
Egypt became the first Arab state to sign a peace treaty with Israel in 1997. Under the accord, Israel handed back the Sinai Peninsula, which it captured in the 1967 Middle East War.
Egyptian authorities go to great lengths to protect Israeli tourists in southern Sinai, with police carrying out thorough searches and identity checks at numerous checkpoints on roads from the mainland or northern Sinai, home to a long-running, low-intensity insurgency by militants.
Recipe
Garlicky shrimp in olive oil
Gambas Al Ajillo
Preparation time: 5 to 10 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Serves 4
Ingredients
180ml extra virgin olive oil; 4 to 5 large cloves of garlic, minced or pureed (or 3 to 4 garlic scapes, roughly chopped); 1 or 2 small hot red chillies, dried (or ¼ teaspoon dried red chilli flakes); 400g raw prawns, deveined, heads removed and tails left intact; a generous splash of sweet chilli vinegar; sea salt flakes for seasoning; a small handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
Method
▶ Heat the oil in a terracotta dish or frying pan. Once the oil is sizzling hot, add the garlic and chilli, stirring continuously for about 10 seconds until golden and aromatic.
▶ Add a splash of sweet chilli vinegar and as it vigorously simmers, releasing perfumed aromas, add the prawns and cook, stirring a few times.
▶ Once the prawns turn pink, after 1 or 2 minutes of cooking, remove from the heat and season with sea salt flakes.
▶ Once the prawns are cool enough to eat, scatter with parsley and serve with small forks or toothpicks as the perfect sharing starter. Finish off with crusty bread to soak up all that flavour-infused olive oil.
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
