In a statement on Sunday, the Pubic Prosecution stated that although the truck owner was aware the driver did not possess a valid driving license, he permitted him to drive the vehicle, violating Article 81 (bis/3) of Egypt’s Traffic Law.
Investigation into the horrific crash is ongoing. The prosecution continues to gather information, including eyewitness accounts and testimonies from the relatives of victims.
The victims, mostly young women aged between 14 and 23, were en route to their workplaces in agricultural fields near Sadat City.
Many of them were their families’ primary breadwinners, with some having left school to help support their households.
Seven families, along with a representative from the State Lawsuits Authority, have filed civil claims against both the driver and the vehicle owner during the investigation.
Prosecutors ordered the pretrial detention of the vehicle owner, pending further investigations.
The Public Prosecution said it will announce its findings once the investigation is complete.
The collision occurred on Friday when a transport truck crossed the central median on a regional road near Ashmoun in Menoufia Governorate, crashing into a microbus carrying the victims.
The truck driver has been detained for four days, pending investigation. Authorities found, after a drug test, that he was under the influence of narcotics at the time of the crash.
On Saturday, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi ordered increased compensation for the victims.
He directed the government to expedite road maintenance and repair, particularly on the Regional Ring Road, and to ensure proper signage in construction areas.
The president also instructed the immediate removal of road hazards and stricter enforcement of speed limits to help prevent further tragedies.
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