Ramp collapses on small ferry, drowning at least six people

Описание: (15 Oct 2007)
++NIGHT SHOTS++
1. Wide shot of police boats near where ferry was docked when accident happened
2. Pan from people walking up steps near water to wide of area where accident happened
3. People standing next to police boats
4. Tilt-up from police dinghy to police boat
5. Various of local residents
6. SOUNDBITE (Arabic): Hamada Abdel Rahim, witness:
"There was a ramp for the local services, this ramp wasn't good enough for use. The other boats use it to carry people from it. While carrying the people it was broken because it was heavy and there was a heavy load on it. Over one hundred people were dropped into the water."
7. SOUNDBITE (Arabic): Magdy Refaat, witness:
"After carrying the people the ramp sank into the water and we got four people out of the water and a newly born baby."
8. Tilt-up from water to witness Magdy Refaat and another man
STORYLINE:
At least six people drowned on Sunday when a railing and a ramp on a small overcrowded ferry collapsed, sending dozens of people into the Nile River, police said.
The ferry was docked on the western side of the Nile in the village of Bani Hassan located in Minya province, about 220 kilometres (135 miles) south of Cairo.
As people were trying to get on and off the ferry, the ramp connecting the boat to the land collapsed, a police official at the scene said.
One of the ferry's railings also collapsed because too many people were trying to lean against it, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media.
At least six people died when they fell into the Nile, the official said.
One witness said the ramp "wasn't good enough for use".
"The other boats use it to carry people from it. While carrying the people it was broken because it was heavy and there was a heavy load on it. Over one hundred people were dropped into the water," Hamada Abdel Rahim said.
Five others were injured in the accident, and about 10 people were still unaccounted for several hours later.
Police were on the scene investigating the accident.
The semi-official news agency, MENA, said at least four people were killed, including three children.
MENA said the Egyptians on the ferry were travelling to a cemetery to pay their respects during the three-day holiday of Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy fasting egypt language month of Ramadan.
Keyword ferry disaster

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