ASSIUT: A groom and three wedding guests were killed Saturday when cars collided with each other during their wedding procession on a highway south of Cairo, said an Egyptian security official.
Hassan Mahmoud, 22, died when vehicles in the high speed, honking wedding procession smashed into each other near the Egyptian town of Assiut, 320 kilometers south of Cairo, said Maj. Gen. Gad Gamil, the provincial director of security.
Ten others were wounded in the crash, including the bride, who is in intensive care.
Gamil said one of the drivers had to be hospitalized after he was grabbed by the groom s family, who blamed him for the crash and beat him badly.
In Egypt, it is traditional for the wedding party and guests prior to the reception or afterwards to drive through the streets, weaving in and out of traffic and honking their horns.
Road accidents are also common in Egypt because of bad roads, speeding, and poor enforcement of traffic laws.
Egyptian police estimate road accidents kill about 6,000 people annually. – AP
