No fewer than 35 people have been confirmed dead and more than 50 others injured Saturday in a ‘horrific collision’ on an Egyptian highway involving a bus and several cars, state media has confirmed.
Africa Today News, New York reports that in Egypt, where the highway law is routinely broken and roads are generally in poor condition, traffic accidents are commonplace.
‘A horrific collision on the Cairo-Alexandria desert road near Wadi al-Natrun led to the death of 35 people, at least 18 of whom burnt to death,’ said Al-Ahram news website, indicating “at least 53 were injured”.
Images posted on social media showed an overturned lorry lying across the fast lane on charred tarmac.
Read Also: 22 Perish in Niger Boat Accident; Search Recovers 6 Bodies
Several cars, some still burning, and at least one bus and a minibus, both severely damaged by fire, can be seen further on.
As heavy black smoke rises into the air, crowds of people can be seen standing along the road, staring at the crash scene and the queue of automobiles.
Official figures say 7,000 people were killed in road accidents in 2021 in the Arab world’s most populous country.
In another report, a devastating boat mishap in Niger State reportedly claimed the lives of at least 22 persons onboard, on Monday.
On Monday morning, tragedy struck as the victims, en route from Kasabu village in Niger State’s Agwara Local Government Area to Yauri in Kebbi State, saw their boat capsize amid a downpour and strong winds.
As of Tuesday night, a search and rescue operation had only succeeded in recovering six bodies, and among them was the body of a Kebbi pastor who had made his home in Niger State.
The Niger State Emergency Management Agency revealed that the majority of the victims were en route to do business transactions at the Monday Market in Yauri, Kebbi State, when the tragic incident happened.