Death toll rises to 31 in Nile boat collision

Nearly 13 more bodies have been retrieved by Egyptian search teams from this week's boat collision on the Nile River, bringing the death toll from the tragedy to 31, the health ministry said on Friday.

Ministry spokesman Hossam Abdel-Ghaffar said that search efforts were still ongoing following the late Wednesday night collision near Cairo, when a passenger boat traveling down the Nile collided with a scow, causing the boat to capsize.

The scow's captain and his assistant have been detained and accused of manslaughter.

The online edition of the state-owned Al-Ahram daily reported on Thursday that the families of the missing had blocked a main road in Warraq, the district where the boat sunk, briefly clashing with security forces, which finally broke up the protest.

Nile traffic has been heavy, especially near Cairo, as Egyptians celebrated the Eid al-Fitr holiday following the holy month of Ramadan.

Nile rides are among favorite pastimes during the holidays but many city dwellers also use the passenger boats for travel along the Nile.