Trucks and a pickup truck collided on a highway in Egypt on Thursday afternoon, killing 18 people and injuring three, the Associated Press reported, citing local authorities.
The collision occurred south of Port Said, and according to the Ministry of Labor, fishermen riding in one of the vehicles were killed. The causes of the collision are not clear. The pickup truck was transporting fishermen to their work at a fish farm in the Port Said area.
Photos released by local authorities showed the aftermath of the crash - a pickup truck crushed between two large trucks, with debris strewn across the road.
Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouly expressed his condolences to the families of the victims in a statement and ordered financial support to be provided to them. Meanwhile, the governor of Port Said visited the scene of the crash and the injured in local hospitals to ensure that traffic was restored and that survivors were receiving appropriate medical care.
Fatal road accidents claim thousands of lives every year in Egypt, which has a poor road safety record. Speeding, poor roads and poor enforcement of traffic laws are the main causes of most accidents.