Egyptian pharmacist and three children killed in car crash in Minya

An Egyptian pharmacist and his three children were killed on Tuesday when their car overturned on a desert highway in the southern province of Minya, security and local media reports said.

Emergency services were dispatched to the scene near the town of Deir Mawas on the Eastern Desert Road after receiving reports of a serious traffic accident involving a private vehicle.

Preliminary investigations indicated that the car overturned while travelling along the highway, killing all four occupants at the scene.

The victims were identified as pharmacist Hani Fathi Mawafi and his three children — sons Abdullah and Al Bashir, and daughter Ahd — all from the Al Balyana district in Egypt's Sohag governorate.

Ambulances transported the bodies to Mallawi Specialised Hospital, where they were placed at the disposal of the public prosecution pending further procedures.

Authorities cleared the wreckage from the road and reopened traffic while investigators continued examining the circumstances surrounding the crash to determine its exact cause.

News of the accident prompted an outpouring of grief in Sohag, where relatives, friends and residents mourned the family and paid tribute to their reputation and standing within the local community.