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Tren de pasajeros detenido en una vía en Egipto junto a equipos de emergencia y ambulancias
Equipos de emergencia junto a un tren de pasajeros en una vía férrea egipcia. · Imagen generada por EPM

Train crash in Giza leaves seven dead and 112 injured

At least seven people died and 112 were injured after train 134 struck the stopped convoy 2010 in Al Ayat, Giza.

--- The context --- Rail travel links Cairo with Aswan and is essential for thousands of passengers in Egypt. The system has long carried maintenance deficiencies and management problems, and the Government announced plans to renew trains, tracks and safety mechanisms. Despite those plans, incidents continue and keep the whole network under pressure, with a human cost for everyday users. --- The facts --- At least seven people died and another 112 were injured this Sunday after two trains collided in Giza, in the Al Ayat district, about 55 kilometers from the capital. Among the dead is the driver of one of the trains. Prosecutors opened an investigation to establish the causes of the collision and assist the response. Train 134, travelling between Giza and Fayum, struck the rear of convoy 2010, which was travelling from Cairo towards Aswan and was stopped on the same track and in the same direction. No definitive cause was reported. The Health Ministry confirmed 112 injured, mobilised 72 ambulances and transferred 72 to Al Wasta Hospital, 33 to Al Ayat and seven to Atfih, with 45 discharged already. --- The positions --- President Abdel Fattah al Sisi said that he ordered the investigation to be accelerated and medical care for those affected to be guaranteed, and asked for responsibilities to be established. Residents of Kafr Girza helped remove passengers, and one resident said he saw about 80 injured people evacuated and people trapped in a carriage of the stopped train. --- What remains unknown --- Prosecutors ordered expert examinations of the trains, circulation conditions and technical elements, with testimony gathering, to clarify whether there were operational errors, human failures or signalling problems. Civil Protection and rail teams cordoned off the site and worked with cranes to clear the tracks and restore service in both directions of the line. --- Unanswered questions --- Why did convoy 2010 remain stopped without train 134 stopping in time that morning? Did signalling fail, or did communication between cabs break down in Al Ayat? Is this crash related to the freight collision last September in Al Ayat, where the driver and his assistant were injured? --- EPM analysis --- In March 2021, two accidents left about twenty dead each and hundreds injured. The deadliest tragedy occurred in 2002, when fire spread through a night train from Cairo towards the south, with more than 300 dead in 2002. The precedent of last September in Al Ayat reinforces the need for a comprehensive review of safety. 📌 EPM Take: In EPM's view, this tragedy requires looking beyond a single mistake and reviewing the whole system that should protect daily passengers. Without sustained investment in signalling, maintenance and training, every investigation will arrive too late for the families affected. Care for the injured and support for the bereaved must be immediate, while accountability moves forward with verifiable data and concrete measures that prevent another Al Ayat. Public follow-up on every commitment by the responsible authorities is also essential.
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