The driver lost control because of high speed on a winding road and the bus rolled over several times, the official said Saturday, on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

Egypt’s official news agency confirmed that eight died in the early hours of the morning Saturday.

Three Russians and a Ukrainian woman were among the dead and the identities of the others were still unknown.

The seriously injured were airlifted to hospitals in Cairo.

Road accidents are common in Egypt because of bad roads and poor law enforcement. An estimated 8,000 people die in car accidents annually.