At least seven people have been killed and more than 100 injured after two passenger trains collided near Giza, Egypt, causing several carriages to derail.
The country’s railway authority said the trains, travelling south from Giza and Cairo, collided between Kafr Ammar and Al-Raqqa stations in Al-Ayyat, sending several carriages down an embankment.
Images from the scene showed overturned carriages as emergency responders and members of the public searched for injured passengers.
The driver of one of the trains was among those killed, according to the Egyptian authorities.
Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi said he had ordered state authorities to “investigate the circumstances of the accident, and hold accountable anyone found to have been negligent”.
The public prosecutor’s office warned that the death toll could rise as rescue and recovery operations continued.
The government said hospitals in the affected area had been placed “on heightened alert” to handle the large number of casualties.
Health Minister Dr Khaled Abdel Ghaffar said victims were receiving treatment for injuries, including broken bones and head injuries.
The Egyptian Red Crescent also confirmed it was providing emergency assistance and psychological support to victims and their families at the scene.
Preliminary information indicated that the first train was travelling from Giza to Fayoum when it crashed into the rear of another service heading from Cairo to Aswan, which was stationary on the tracks.
Train services between Giza and the Upper Egypt region have been suspended as cranes were deployed to remove the wreckage. The railway authority has yet to announce when services will resume.
The collision occurred close to the location of Egypt’s deadliest railway disaster in February 2002, when a fire engulfed a passenger train travelling from Cairo to Luxor, killing more than 370 people, according to official figures.
Two other train accidents in the area in 2009 also claimed dozens of lives.
The latest disaster has triggered calls for Egypt’s transport minister to resign, while foreign governments and dignitaries have expressed condolences to the victims and their families.
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed solidarity with Egypt and wished those injured a speedy recovery.
Turkey’s ambassador to Egypt also took to X to offer “heartfelt condolences and sincere sympathy” to the victims, their families and the Egyptian people.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
Follow us on:
