CAIRO -- Ten Egyptians drowned in the River Nile on Monday as they were celebrating the national holiday known as "Sham el-Nessim."

Three people drowned while swimming in Aswan, around 700 km south of the capital Cairo; four others died in Luxor, around 670 km south of Cairo, in similar circumstances, according to a Xinhua correspondent in Upper Egypt.

Earlier in the day, three people drowned while swimming in Qalyubiya governorate, 40 km from Cairo. Official news agency MENA said two of the victims were preparatory school students, while the third was in his 20s.

Sham el-Nessim, a festival to mark the beginning of the spring season, takes annually on Monday after the Coptic Easter on Sunday. Drowning incidents are common during Sham el-Nessim celebrations due to poor safety measures.