Photo: - / AFP / Getty Images
At least seven people have died and more than 100 others were injured after a train collision in Egypt's Giza province, southwest of Cairo, on Sunday (November 8). According to the Egyptian Health Ministry, a train traveling from Giza to Fayoum collided with the back of another train on the Cairo-to-Aswan route, causing the latter to derail in the Al-Ayyat district.
Emergency teams and cranes were dispatched to the scene to clear the wreckage and restore train services, as reported by Al Jazeera. More than 70 ambulances transported the injured to nearby hospitals. The Egyptian Red Crescent is also assisting victims and their families.
The chief prosecutor's office has launched an investigation into the crash, with initial inspections indicating that the Giza-Fayoum train collided with the last carriage of the stationary Cairo-Aswan train, according to the Los Angeles Times. The collision resulted in several carriages derailing and overturning.
Train accidents are not uncommon in Egypt, where the railway system has a history of mismanagement and poor maintenance. Despite modernization efforts, including new highways and high-speed rail lines, much of the dated train services remain unchanged. The Al-Ayyat district has been the site of previous rail disasters, including Egypt's deadliest train crash in 2002, which killed over 300 people.
President Abdel Fatah Sisi has ordered a thorough investigation into the incident. The Egyptian Railway Authority is working to restore normal train services as soon as possible.