A tourist bus, carrying about 40 Canadian and European tourists, overturned at a sharp curve as it was heading to Cairo from Sinai resort of Sharm el-Sheik, said Said Issa, head of emergency services in the Sinai.

Many of the wounded suffered from severe burns as the bus caught fire after overturning, Issa said, adding that the death toll could rise.

Road accidents are very common in Egypt due to bad roads, speeding and poor enforcement of traffic laws. Some 6,000 people are killed every year.