PHNOM PENH - At least 18 Cambodians were killed and another seven seriously injured in a car crash in Cambodia's southwest province of Sihanoukville Friday, chief of military police for Sihanoukville province said by phone.  

"The accident happened after a container truck crushed with a tourist van coming from opposition direction," Horn Seyha said.

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The drivers of both vehicle were killed instantly in the accident and the tourist van was completely destroyed. "It's almost flattened," he said.

The accident happened on the national road No 4 about 17 kilometers from the provincial town.

The tourist van was from Takeo province en route to Sihanoukville while the container truck was on its way to Phnom Penh from original departure in Sihanoukville.

The traffic police are working out which side of the two vehicles had caused the accident. Police confirmed that the 18 killed were Cambodians; no foreigners was on the tourist van.

Sihanoukville is located 230 kilometers southwest of Phnom Penh.

Death toll from traffic accidents in Cambodia is the second largest danger after HIV/AIDS. Last year, 1,709 people had been killed in road accidents in Cambodia.