At least 85 people were killed in South Sudan when a crowd tried to gather fuel from an oil tanker that had veered off the road on its way to a region west of the capital Juba, the presidential spokesman said on Thursday.

The incident took place on Wednesday as the truck was travelling to South's Sudan's Western Equatoria region.

"Eight-five people are confirmed dead by the local authorities," Ateny Wek Ateny, presidential spokesman, told Reuters, adding about 50 people were seriously injured.-Reuters