Two Trains Collide South of Cairo, Killing at Least Four and Injuring 88

The update

At least four people were killed and 88 others injured on Sunday when two trains collided in the Al-Ayyat district of Giza province, south of Cairo, Egypt’s health ministry said. A train travelling towards Fayoum province struck the rear of a train heading to Aswan, and carriages derailed in the impact. The injured were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment. Egypt’s railway authority said emergency teams and cranes were sent to clear the wreckage and restore services.

Why it matters

Egypt’s rail network is one of Africa’s largest and is used heavily by its 110 million people, but it has suffered repeated deadly accidents despite billions of dollars spent on wider transport upgrades. Al-Ayyat was also the site of a freight-train collision last September and of Egypt’s worst rail disaster in 2002. The crash disrupts a main line linking Cairo with Upper Egypt.

What to watch

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said he had ordered a prompt investigation to establish the cause and hold anyone found negligent to account. Watch for an updated toll from hospitals, findings on signalling and operations, and confirmation of when normal services resume on the line.

Sources

• theguardian.com — confirms the collision, routes, derailment, toll, hospital transfers and investigation order.
• thehindu.com — confirms the toll, routes, derailment, emergency response and Egypt’s wider rail safety record.

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