At least seven people were killed and 125 others injured Sunday when two passenger trains collided in Egypt, sending several railcars off the tracks and triggering a massive emergency response as rescuers rushed to reach passengers trapped in the wreckage.
The devastating collision occurred November 8 in the Al-Ayyat district of Giza province, approximately 32 miles south of Cairo, the Egyptian capital.
According to Egypt’s Transportation Ministry, a train traveling from Giza toward Fayoum slammed into the rear of another train bound for the southern city of Aswan.
Investigators later determined that the Cairo-to-Aswan train had been stationary on the tracks when the second train crashed into its last carriage, causing multiple cars to derail.
The impact left railcars badly damaged as terrified passengers scrambled to escape. Nearby residents rushed toward the wreckage, helping survivors out of damaged compartments while others contacted emergency services.
One local resident described finding passengers trapped inside a mangled carriage, with some victims already dead by the time rescuers reached them.
Among those killed was a train conductor, authorities confirmed.
Egypt’s Health Ministry initially reported four deaths and 88 injuries, but the toll climbed as emergency crews continued their work. By Sunday evening, officials had confirmed seven fatalities and 125 injured passengers.
At least 72 ambulances were dispatched to the crash site, transporting victims to hospitals throughout the surrounding region.
Medical facilities in Giza and neighboring Beni Suef province were placed on heightened alert as doctors treated patients suffering from broken bones, head injuries and other trauma.
More than 70 injured passengers were later discharged after receiving treatment, while others remained hospitalized.
Images from the scene showed damaged train carriages surrounded by emergency workers, police officers and crowds of concerned residents.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi expressed his condolences to the victims’ families and ordered an immediate investigation into the collision.
He also called for anyone found responsible through negligence to be held accountable.
Authorities have not yet determined why the two trains ended up on the same stretch of track or whether human error, equipment failure or another issue caused the disaster.
Egypt’s chief prosecutor has launched an investigation, while railway officials deployed heavy equipment and cranes to remove the wreckage and restore train service.
The tragedy has renewed concerns about railway safety in Egypt, where aging infrastructure, maintenance problems and operational failures have contributed to deadly accidents over the years.
In September, two freight trains collided in the same Al-Ayyat district, injuring a driver and his assistant.
The region also has a particularly painful history. In 2002, more than 300 people died when a fire swept through a passenger train traveling from Cairo toward southern Egypt, making it the country’s deadliest railway disaster.
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