A collision between two passenger trains south of Cairo killed seven people and injured more than 125, according to the latest reported Health Ministry count, and Egyptian authorities are investigating the crash.
The trains collided on Sunday, November 8, in al-Ayyat district, Giza province, about 52 kilometers south of the capital. A train traveling from Giza to Fayoum hit the rear of a Cairo-to-Aswan train, causing carriages to leave the tracks. Officials said the Aswan-bound train had stopped on the same track.
The Health Ministry first reported 112 injuries. A later update put the number above 125. Rescue workers, railway staff and local residents helped passengers trapped in overturned carriages.
Cranes and emergency crews worked to clear the wreckage. President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi ordered an urgent investigation. He said anyone found negligent should be held accountable.
The collision has also prompted political demands to examine rail safety and the government’s modernization efforts. Parliament’s Transport and Communications Committee called the transport minister to an emergency session to examine the crash. Investigators are working to find out what technical factors caused it.