A collision between two trains occurred on Sunday south of Cairo, Egypt, resulting in at least seven fatalities and over 100 injuries. The accident involved a train traveling from Gizeh to Fayoum that crashed into the rear of another train heading south from Cairo to Assouan. Both destinations are popular tourist sites. The incident took place near Al-Ayyat, approximately 50 kilometers south of Cairo.
According to the Egyptian Ministry of Health, seven passengers were killed, and 112 people are receiving medical treatment for injuries at hospitals in the Gizeh governorate. The site of the collision showed multiple cars overturned, with some severely damaged and reduced to wreckage. One train's end was crushed into a pile of scrap metal, while the other train's end was ripped open and had tipped out of the rails into a nearby farm.
Rescue efforts were underway, with emergency responders and bystanders working to free passengers trapped inside the overturned cars. Witnesses described chaotic scenes as villagers, first responders, and railway workers rushed to assist those trapped inside. Crews and heavy machinery were brought in to right the overturned cars, while ambulances transported the injured to nearby hospitals.
Eyewitnesses recounted harrowing scenes from the aftermath of the collision. Abdel Wahed Mohamed, 31, who was in a nearby café, stated that the train headed to Assouan had stopped before being struck by the train going to Fayoum. He described the moment of impact and the subsequent overturning of six cars. Mohamed also noted that the victims suffered various traumas, including head injuries and broken limbs.
Another witness, Ahmed Moussa, 25, described the rescue efforts, stating that responders had to dig under an overturned car to reach trapped passengers. He mentioned that people were stacked on top of each other inside the wreckage. Moussa also reported seeing two women among the deceased. Taha Abdel Tawab, 43, shared a heart-wrenching account of seeing a young man exit the train carrying his deceased father.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi expressed concern over the situation and ordered an urgent investigation into the causes of the accident. Authorities have initiated an inquiry and aim to hold accountable those found negligent. This incident recalls the 2002 Al-Ayyat train fire, which killed over 370 people, and other fatal collisions in the region.
The Egyptian railway network, one of the largest in Africa, has seen numerous fatal accidents despite investments in modernizing transportation infrastructure. Over the past decade, Egypt has invested billions of dollars in new highways and high-speed rail lines but has yet to renovate much of its aging railway system. The country relies heavily on rail transport, with 110 million people depending on it.
Key points
- The collision resulted in at least seven deaths and over 100 injuries.
- The accident occurred near Al-Ayyat, a site of a previous major railway disaster in 2002.
- Egypt has invested in modernizing its transportation infrastructure but still faces challenges with its aging railway network.
