At least 18 people lost their lives, including several children, after two pickup trucks transporting agricultural workers collided on a road in Egypt's Ismailia Governorate on Tuesday morning, August 11.
The accident occurred in the Al-Dawawis area, where the vehicles were reportedly speeding. Egyptian authorities confirmed that among the deceased were children as young as 10 years old, with most victims being adolescents aged 13 and 14.
According to a medical source at El-Kassasin hospital, where the injured were taken, many of the victims were young workers employed on farms in the region. In total, 47 people were injured, with about 30 sustaining serious wounds.
Local security officials indicated that the workers involved mostly came from two villages in Sharqiya Governorate and were travelling to agricultural sites when the crash happened.
Government Response and Investigation
- President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has ordered a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the collision.
- The Ministries of Social Solidarity and Labour pledged financial support for the families of the deceased and those injured.
This tragedy highlights ongoing safety challenges related to the common practice of transporting informal labourers in overloaded pickup trucks across Egypt. Millions of workers, including minors, rely on such unsafe travel methods daily, exposing them to significant risks.
