CAIRO, July 27 (Xinhua) — Five children were killed and four others were injured when a pickup car fell into a canal in southern Egypt early Thursday, according to state-run Akhbar El-Yom daily newspaper.

The car was carrying a driver and a seven-member family who were returning from Sohag International Airport.

It derailed and fell into a canal in Dar El-Salam city of Sohag governorate when the driver attempted to avoid hitting a motorbike coming from the opposite direction and lost control of the wheel.

The motorbike owner was also wounded.

Bodies of the children aged three to ten years were recovered and the wounded suffering severe fractions were transferred to the nearest public hospital.

Road accidents claim thousands of lives every year in Egypt as a result of speeding, poor maintenance of roads, and lax enforcement of traffic laws.

Over the past few years, Egypt has been upgrading its road network to reduce traffic accidents.