18 killed, three injured in crash near Port Said in Egypt
Workers travelling to fish farms among the dead as heavy truck collides with vehicle
At least 18 people were killed and three injured in a road accident south of Port Said on Thursday after a heavy lorry collided with a pickup truck carrying workers, Egyptian authorities said.
The crash occurred on a highway within Port Said governorate, according to an official statement. The pickup was transporting labourers heading to work at fish farms in the area.
Ambulances rushed to the scene and transferred the casualties to hospitals across Port Said. Six bodies and three injured were taken to the 30 June Hospital, five bodies to El Nasr Hospital, five to El Zohour Hospital and two to As-Salam Hospital, the statement said.
Provincial authorities said the identities and places of residence of the deceased were being verified. Local media reported that many of the victims were believed to be from the city of El Matariya in Dakahlia governorate.
Senior health officials travelled to oversee treatment of the injured and procedures to release the bodies to their families.
Dakahlia Governor Tarek Marzouk said he had coordinated with Port Said Governor Ibrahim Abu Limon to assess the impact of the accident and arrange financial compensation for the families of the deceased and injured, in cooperation with the Ministry of Social Solidarity.
Road accidents are frequent in Egypt, where traffic congestion, speeding and poor road conditions have contributed to high fatality rates in recent years.
