Egypt crash kills 16 children on way to school

Cairo, Apr 18: At least 16 Egyptian secondary school students were killed on their way to school today when a truck they were riding in collided head-on with another vehicle south of the Egyptian capital, security sources said.

The sources said eight other students who were riding in the back of the truck were injured and in critical condition after the crash, the latest in a series of deadly Egyptian transport accidents.

The sources said the collision occurred when an large truck tried to overtake another vehicle in the Giza province, colliding head-on with the private truck transporting the students to school. The dead students were between 15 and 16 years old.

Reckless driving and poor road conditions are responsible for many road crashes in Egypt, and a recent spate of rail and road accidents has sparked public anger at what critics call the government's failure to enforce safety standards.

Reuters