EGYPT DEATH TOLL RISES TO 18 IN NILE COLLISION

Cairo — Egypt’s health ministry said Thursday that the death toll from a collision of two boats on the Nile the night before has risen to 18, after two more bodies were retrieved from the river. Health ministry spokesman Hossam Abdel-Ghaffar told The Associated Press the search for the victims continued into Thursday as families of missing passengers were still looking for their loved ones. Abdel-Ghaffar said no less than seven children were among those who drowned, including a 2-year-old and a 3-year-old. He said it was not clear how many passengers were on the boat when it was hit by a scow late Wednesday near Cairo. Prosecutor Khaled Abdel-Hameed ordered the scow’s captain and his assistant detained, accusing them of manslaughter.