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By Khaleda Rahman and Hollie Silverman
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At least seven people died and more than 100 others were injured after two trains collided in Egypt on Sunday, causing one to derail, authorities said.
The Chief Prosecutor’s office said in a statement that the train’s conductor was one of the deceased.
The crash occurred in al-Ayyat district in Giza province, about 30 miles south of Cairo, when a train traveling to the southwestern Fayoum province crashed into the rear of a train heading to the southern province of Aswan, according to the Transportation Ministry.
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According to a statement from the Chief Prosecutor's office, investigators on the scene determined that the Giza-Fayyoum train crashed into the last carriage of the Cairo-Aswan train that was traveling in the same direction on the same track.
Photos from the scene show several carriages had derailed and fallen down an embankment.
Ayman Gamal, who lives near the crash site, told the Associated Press that people in the area immediately rushed to the scene to help survivors. He said that while many people were taken to the hospital by ambulances, some were trapped inside the train and others were pulled out of the wreckage already deceased.
In a post on X, the ministry said at least 72 ambulances transported the injured to hospitals. The ministry said hospitals had been ordered to "raise their level of preparedness" to handle the influx of patients.
The Egyptian Railway Authority said emergency teams and cranes were dispatched to the scene to clear the wreckage and restore train services to their normal schedule as soon as possible.
President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi said in a post on social media that he ordered a prompt investigation into the crash to hold those responsible accountable.
"I am following the aftermath of the train collision with great concern and extend my deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives, along with my sincere wishes for a speedy recovery for the injured," he said on X. "I have directed state agencies to provide the necessary medical care, promptly investigate the circumstances of the accident, and hold accountable anyone found to have been negligent."
Newsweek has contacted the Health Ministry and Egyptian Railway Authority for comment via email.
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Train Derailments Common on Aging System
Egyptians rely heavily on rail transport, but train derailments and crashes are common on an aging system that has also been plagued by mismanagement.
In August last year, three people were killed and more than 100 others injured when a train derailed en route to Cairo.
At least two were killed after two trains collided in the Minya province in October 2024. That was the second train crash in a month, after two trains collided in September, killing at least three people.
Giza’s al-Ayyat district is the site of Egypt’s worst rail disaster. More than 370 people were killed in a fire that swept through a train traveling from Cairo to Luxor in February 2002.
The Egyptian government has announced initiatives to improve its railways in recent years.
El-Sissi said in 2018 that some 250 billion Egyptian pounds, or $8.13 billion, would be needed to properly overhaul the neglected rail network.
What Happens Next
Egyptian authorities have launched an investigation into the collision. Emergency crews and cranes were dispatched to clear the derailed carriages and wreckage as authorities work to restore normal service on the Cairo-Upper Egypt rail line.
Officials have not said how long that process is expected to take.
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