At least 20 people have been killed and three others injured in a road accident in southern Egypt Tuesday.

Authorities said a bus overturned while trying to overtake a truck on a highway causing a collision that leads to casualties.

The bus was travelling from Cairo when it turned over.

It was hit by the truck on a road in the southern province of Assiut, some 320 kilometres south of Cairo.

In a statement, Assiut Governor Essam Saad said both vehicles caught fire.

Photos released by the governor’s office showed a burned-out bus, with rescue teams looking for survivors.

The survivors were taken to nearby hospitals, the statement added.

In Egypt, traffic accidents kill thousands each year. The country has a poor transportation safety record.