Egypt train collision kills 7, injures 112: Health ministry

On Sunday, a train collision south of Egypt's capital, Cairo, resulted in seven fatalities and over 100 injuries, according to the authorities. The Egyptian railway authority reported that a train departing Giza for Fayoum collided with the rear of another train heading south from Cairo to Aswan. The health ministry disclosed that 112 individuals sustained injuries, with treatments underway in hospitals throughout the Giza region.

Injuries varied from minor bruises to severe fractures, head and facial lacerations, and chest injuries. Of the 112 injured, 45 were discharged after receiving treatment, and seven were expected to be released later.

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi expressed concern and directed authorities to investigate the accident urgently, with the aim of holding accountable any party found negligent. Witnesses recounted chaotic rescue efforts after the collision, as locals, first responders, and railway workers raced to aid passengers trapped in overturned carriages.

One witness, Abdel Wahed Mohamed, stated that the Aswan-bound train had stopped when the Fayoum-bound train crashed into it, causing the train to overturn around 1:30 pm. Six carriages overturned, and victims suffered injuries ranging from head wounds to broken limbs.

Rescue workers utilized cranes and heavy machinery to right overturned carriages while ambulances transported the injured to nearby hospitals. Villagers gathered around the cordoned-off wreckage, witnessing recovery operations into the evening. One victim was a resident of a nearby village, and local witness Reda Kamel Labib criticized rescue delays due to insufficient transport infrastructure in the area.

The railway network, one of the largest in Africa, has suffered numerous deadly accidents over the past decade. Egypt has invested billions of dollars in updating its transport infrastructure, including new highways and high-speed rail lines, but the aging rail network remains largely unaddressed. This accident marks Egypt's worst-ever rail disaster, with a previous devastating fire in 2002 killing over 370 people and multiple train crashes in 2009 claiming dozens of lives.