CAIRO -- The death toll of a passenger minibus falling into the Nile River in Egypt on Tuesday has risen to 11, Hossam Abdel-Ghaffar, a spokesman of the Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population, told Xinhua.

"Eleven dead bodies have been picked up so far, and rescue work is still underway," the spokesman added.

The minibus carrying the victims fell off a ferry into the river in Giza province near the capital Cairo.

Earlier in the day, the health ministry said it had sent eight ambulances to the scene, noting that some of the injured were treated on site.

Egyptian local media said that the minibus carried about 20 female farm workers.

Egypt's state-run Al-Ahram news website reported that the minibus driver left the handbrake released, which led the vehicle to slide and fall off the ferry.

According to the report, the ferry violated safety conditions and operated with an expired license. The authorities have launched an investigation into the incident.