A train struck the rear of another in Giza's Al Ayyat district, about 52 km south of Cairo, on Sunday. Euronews and an AP-based report gave 4 dead and 88 injured, while later headlines from the Washington Post and NBC News put the toll at 7 dead and more than 100 hurt.
According to Euronews, the crash happened on Sunday, 8 November, in Al Ayyat district of Giza province. Egypt's Transport Ministry said a train bound for Fayum in the south-west hit the back of a train heading to Aswan in the south; one of the two derailed, but officials did not say which.
광고 문의 · 300×250The Health Ministry first confirmed 4 deaths and 88 injuries, with the wounded taken to nearby hospitals; an AP report carried by The Hill gave the same figures. The Washington Post and NBC News later put the toll in their headlines at 7 dead and roughly 112, or more than 100, injured, so the count rose over time. We could not open the bodies of those two articles, so the final figures and the victims' identities are unconfirmed.
Presidential probe and recovery work
President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said in a social media post that he had ordered an ‘immediate investigation’ into the causes and that those responsible would be held accountable, Euronews reported. The cause, whether signalling or driver error, has not been disclosed.
The Egyptian Railways Authority said it sent rescue teams and cranes to clear the wreckage and would restore services as fast as possible. The southbound trunk line is heavily used, so the time needed for repairs may disrupt weekend returns and Monday commutes.
A recurring safety question
Euronews added that two freight trains collided in the same district last September, injuring a driver and his assistant. Ageing signalling and rolling stock are often cited behind rail accidents in Egypt, but whether they played a role here can only be judged once the inquiry reports. This paper does not print unverified guesses about the cause.