Collision in Giza kills seven and injures over 100
Investigators found one train struck another while it was stopped on the same track in Al Ayyat.
By Charlotte Dubois ·
Seven people died and more than 100 were injured when two passenger trains collided south of Cairo on Sunday.
The General Prosecution confirmed the death toll in a statement, noting that the driver of one of the trains was among the victims. The incident occurred in the Al Ayyat district of Giza province, located 32 miles south of the capital.
Rail traffic in the region has faced recurring safety issues in recent years. In September, a locomotive engineer and his assistant were injured after two cargo trains collided in the same district. Egypt's last major rail disaster occurred in 2002, when a fire on a night train claimed more than 300 lives.
The Ministry of Transportation stated that a train heading to Fayoum province struck the rear of a train bound for Asuán. Prosecutors reported that investigators arrived at the scene late Sunday and determined the moving train hit the final carriage of the stationary Asuán-bound service. Both trains were traveling in the same direction on the same track.
Ayman Gamal, a resident of Kafr Girza in Al Ayyat, said neighbors rushed to the site to extract survivors and call for ambulances. Gamal estimated that approximately 80 injured passengers were transported to nearby hospitals by ambulance. He noted that some passengers remained trapped inside a carriage of the stopped train and had already died before rescue teams reached them.
President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi ordered an immediate investigation into the crash following a post on social media. The Egyptian Railway Authority dispatched emergency crews and cranes to the site. Authorities aim to remove the wreckage and restore regular rail service as quickly as possible.
The government has announced modernization initiatives in recent years to address a history of poor management and inadequate maintenance within the national rail system.
