Deadly truck collision in Ismailia kills 18, most of them child workers

A pick-up truck loaded with agricultural labourers overturned on a link road in the Al-Dawawis district of Ismailia governorate, killing at least 18 people, the majority of whom were children. According to Egypt’s Ministry of Health, the crash left 47 individuals injured or killed, with about 30 requiring medical treatment. Hospital staff in nearby El-Kassasin identified most of the deceased as 13- and 14-year-old children, and the youngest victim was reported to be 10 years old.

The workers originated mainly from two villages in Sharqiya governorate and were employed on a farm in Ismailia. President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has mandated an investigation, while the ministries of Social Solidarity and Labour announced monetary assistance for the victims’ families. The tragedy highlights the prevalence of child labour in Egypt, where official data cite 1.3 million minors working, and underscores rising road fatalities, especially among those under 15.