Two trains collide near Al-Ayyat, derailing several carriages; Egyptian president orders investigation
CAIRO: At least seven people were killed and more than 100 injured after two passenger trains collided near Egypt’s Giza city, derailing several carriages, authorities said. The Egyptian railway authority said the trains were travelling south from Giza and Cairo when the collision occurred, causing several carriages to overturn and fall down an embankment. The first train was travelling from Giza to Fayoum when it struck the rear of another train heading from Cairo to Aswan, which was stationary on the tracks.
The Egyptian Health Ministry confirmed that the driver of one of the trains was among those killed. Emergency services were deployed to the scene, while injured passengers were transported to nearby hospitals for treatment.
Health Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar said victims were being treated for injuries, including fractures and head trauma. Hospitals in the affected area were placed on heightened alert to deal with the influx of patients. The Egyptian Red Crescent also provided emergency assistance and psychological support to victims and their families.
President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi ordered state authorities to investigate the circumstances surrounding the collision and hold anyone found responsible for negligence accountable. The public prosecutor’s office said the death toll could rise.
Where did the train collision occur?
The collision took place between Kafr Ammar and Al-Raqqa stations in the Al-Ayyat area, south of Cairo. The location is close to the site of Egypt’s deadliest railway disaster in February 2002, when a fire engulfed a passenger train travelling from Cairo to Luxor, killing more than 370 people according to official figures.
Two other train crashes in the area in 2009 also claimed dozens of lives. Following the latest collision, railway services between Giza and the Upper Egypt region were suspended. Authorities dispatched cranes to remove the wreckage, but the railway authority did not specify when services would resume.
How have authorities and foreign governments responded?
Egyptian authorities launched an emergency response and initiated an investigation into the cause of the collision. The accident also prompted calls within Egypt for Transport Minister Kamel al-Wazir to resign over the latest railway disaster.
Several foreign governments and diplomatic representatives expressed condolences to Egypt. Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry expressed solidarity with the country and wished those injured a speedy recovery. Turkey’s ambassador to Egypt also extended condolences to the victims, their families and the Egyptian people.