At Least 32 Killed in Multi-Vehicle Crash on Egyptian Highway

At least 32 people were killed and more than 63 were injured in a multi-vehicle traffic crash on a highway between the Egyptian cities of Cairo and Alexandria at the weekend, according to Egypt’s Health Ministry.

Local media reported that a passenger bus traveling towards Cairo hit a parked car near the town of Nubariya, about 160 kilometers (100 miles) north of Cairo, and then other vehicles slammed into the bus, with some catching fire. Ambulances rushed to the scene to transport the injured to nearby hospitals.

The state-run daily newspaper Al-Ahram reported that 29 vehicles were involved in the crash. Video footage from after the crash showed many burned and burning vehicles by the side of the road, with firefighters working to extinguish the blazes.

The accident occurred on a foggy morning. One day earlier, the Egyptian Meteorological Authority had warned of heavy fog on highways, local reports said.

Egypt has a poor road safety record, with lethal traffic accidents claiming thousands of lives every year in the country. Collisions often occur because of speeding and bad roads, combined with poor enforcement of traffic laws.