Learner driver injures 17 after car hits café at Egypt's Ain Sokhna resort

Seventeen people were injured after a woman learning to drive lost control of a car and drove into an outdoor café at a tourist resort in Egypt's Ain Sokhna, authorities said. Customers scrambled to get out of the way. All of the injured are in stable condition, and no deaths were recorded.

The crash took place at the La Sirena tourist village on the Red Sea coast. Some reports spell the name Lasirena. Initial investigations indicate the driver pressed the accelerator instead of the brake while trying to move the vehicle, sending it into the café's seating area.

What witnesses said

Witnesses told investigators that the woman had been practising driving inside the resort. Her husband said he had parked the car before a cleaner asked for it to be moved so work could continue. According to his account, the woman then got behind the wheel, started the engine and accelerated by mistake. A statement from Suez governorate, as reported by Spanish news agency EFE, also said she was learning to drive with her husband accompanying her.

Injuries and medical response

Ambulances rushed to the scene. Twelve of the injured were taken to Suez Medical Complex for treatment. Five others, including the driver, received medical care at the scene for minor injuries.

Hospital officials said the 17 people suffered injuries ranging from fractures and bruises to cuts and abrasions. Early wire reports had put the number of people hit at at least 15, with minor injuries, before the toll reached 17.

Investigation

Police and traffic officers secured the area and impounded the vehicle. Prosecutors opened an investigation. Authorities have ordered surveillance footage to be reviewed to establish the precise circumstances of the crash.

The source reports do not say whether the woman held a learner's permit, and no charges have been announced.

The setting

Ain Sokhna lies in Suez Governorate on the western shore of the Gulf of Suez, about 55 km south of Suez city and about 120 km east of Cairo. EFE describes it as one of the busiest tourist zones on the Red Sea, which helps explain why the café was crowded when the car struck.

Road-safety background

Egypt's statistics agency CAPMAS recorded 5,829 road-accident deaths and 84,553 injuries in 2025. That was up 10.8% on deaths from 5,260 in 2024 and up 10.7% on injuries from 76,362. These figures cover public roads rather than private resort grounds.

Pedestrians were the largest category of road-death victims in 2025, with 2,132 deaths. That is roughly 37% of all fatalities, according to a calculation based on CAPMAS data. In this case, the people hurt were customers seated at the café rather than occupants of a vehicle. Suez Governorate recorded just six road deaths in 2024, the lowest in the country, so a crash with this many casualties is unusual there.

Egyptian officials have repeatedly attributed most serious road accidents to human factors, including speeding, failure to comply with traffic rules, unlicensed driving and poor vehicle condition. Officials have not made any such finding about this crash.

Legal framework

On the legal framework, Egypt's Cabinet approved amendments to Traffic Law No. 66 of 1973 on 24 December 2025. They included tougher penalties for driving without a valid licence and for learner and training violations, with fines of up to EGP 30,000 in some cases. On 3 February 2026, the House of Representatives approved the government's request to withdraw the amendments so that a new comprehensive traffic bill could be submitted later.