Train collision near Giza, Egypt, kills 7 and injures 112, health ministry says

The collision

On Sunday afternoon, 8 November, a train travelling from Giza to Fayoum struck the rear of another train heading south from Cairo to Aswan. Egyptian railway authorities said the Cairo-to-Aswan train was standing on the track at the time of the impact. The collision derailed several carriages, and some of them ended up overturned or tipped down an embankment. Photographs from the scene show carriages lying on their sides, and at least one appears to have broken in two. Reports place the crash in the Al-Ayyat district of Giza governorate, on the edge of Cairo, although accounts differ on local landmarks, with one placing it between Kafr Ammar and Al-Raka stations.

Casualties and hospital care

The official toll rose several times during the afternoon and evening. The health ministry first announced 64 injuries and said it was not yet clear whether anyone had died. A later update reported 4 dead and 88 injured, and the most recent figures give 7 dead and 112 injured. Of those hurt, 45 people have since left hospital after their condition improved.

The latest count places 72 injured people at Al-Wasta hospital, 33 at Al-Ayyat central hospital and 7 at Atfih central hospital. Health officials said one of the dead was the driver of one of the trains, and prosecutors warned the number of deaths could still rise. Emergency teams and cranes worked at the site, while the Egyptian Red Crescent provided aid and psychological support to victims and their families.

Official response

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has directed authorities to investigate the causes of the crash and hold accountable anyone found responsible. Health Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar said many passengers were being treated for fractures and head injuries, and he ordered health facilities in the region to strengthen their capacity. Giza security chief Hatem Hassan, Transport Minister Kamel El-Wazir and Giza Governor Ahmed El-Ansari went to the scene. The public prosecutor sent a team to inspect the site, assess the damage and determine the exact number of victims. Calls for the transport minister to resign were also heard on 8 November, following a string of railway accidents.

Background and regional reaction

A February 2002 fire on a Cairo-to-Luxor passenger train killed more than 370 people according to the official tally, and some estimates put the true figure much higher. The 2002 fire took place not far from the stretch where this collision occurred. Two more collisions in the same area in 2009 killed dozens of people. An earlier collision of two freight trains in the same district injured a train driver and his assistant, according to AP. Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry expressed solidarity with Egypt and wished the injured a speedy recovery. Turkey's ambassador to Egypt conveyed deep condolences to the victims, their families and the Egyptian people on X.

Services and next steps

Rail traffic between Giza and Upper Egypt has been halted while cranes remove the damaged carriages, and authorities have not said how long that will take. Informed sources said no Italians were involved, and local authorities said no foreign tourists were aboard the two trains. The prosecution's investigation will establish the circumstances of the collision, and the death toll could still change as the inquiry proceeds.