At least four people died and 88 others were injured when two trains collided on Sunday south of the Egyptian capital, Cairo. The tragic accident occurred in the al-Ayyat district of Giza province, about 50 kilometers south of Cairo, according to authorities. The incident marks another serious event on the country’s railway network.
The Ministry of Transport said a train travelling toward the southwestern province of Fayoum crashed into the rear of another train heading toward the southern province of Aswan. As a result of the collision, one of the trains derailed, although it was not specified which one. The Ministry of Health confirmed the number of casualties and injuries, adding that the injured were taken immediately to nearby hospitals for medical treatment.
President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, in a social media post, ordered an immediate investigation into the accident to hold those responsible accountable. The Egyptian Railway Authority said emergency teams and cranes were dispatched to the scene to clear the wreckage and restore railway services to normal as quickly as possible.
This is not the first incident of this kind in the area; last September, a train driver and his assistant were injured after two freight trains collided in the same district.
Source: NBC News