Egypt: At least 21 troops killed in Sinai accident

A troop carrier overturned on a mountain road in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula early Monday, killing at least 21 members of the security forces stationed on the border with Israel, officials said.                       

Health Ministry official Tarek Khater 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. A security official says the high number of casualties resulted from the vehicle rolling several times.                         

Khater says another 11 were injured, several in critical condition. A security official said 24 were hurt. He retracted an earlier estimate of 48 injured. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the press.                       

It was a different part of the Sinai from where the military is conducting a sweep against Islamic militants.                    

Traffic accidents are common in Egypt due to poor road maintenance and spotty enforcement of traffic laws. Police estimate they kill about 6,000 people annually.

AP