What happened
Two trains collided south of Cairo, killing at least seven people and injuring more than 100 others, Egyptian authorities said, according to CBS News. The crash took place in al-Ayyat district in Giza province, roughly 32 miles south of the capital.
The Transportation Ministry said a train traveling to the southwestern province of Fayoum crashed into the rear of a train heading to the southern province of Aswan. The ministry said one of the trains derailed but did not say which one.
An inspection indicated that the Giza-Fayyoum train hit the last carriage of the Cairo-Aswan train, officials said. That train was stationary on the same track and facing the same direction of travel.
Casualties and emergency response
The Health Ministry gave a lower toll than the overall figure cited by authorities. It said at least four people had been killed and 88 others wounded. The ministry also said a train driver was among the dead. The difference between the figures was not explained in the source material.
The injured were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment, the Health Ministry said. The Egyptian Railway Authority said emergency teams and cranes were sent to the scene to clear the wreckage. It said the aim was to restore train services to their normal schedule as soon as possible.
Investigation and official reaction
The Chief Prosecutor's office said late Sunday that its investigators had arrived at the site. The cause of the collision has not been established in the information released so far, including why one train was stationary on the track.
President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi addressed the crash in a social media post. He wrote that he was following the aftermath "with great concern and extend my deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives." He added that he had "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."
Background on Egypt's rail network
The crash is not the first rail incident in the district. Last September, a train driver and his assistant were injured when two freight trains collided in the same area, according to CBS News.
Over the past decade, Egypt has spent billions of dollars updating its transport infrastructure, including new highways and high-speed rail lines. But according to CBS News, the country has yet to overhaul much of its ageing rail network, which remains a central part of daily travel for many Egyptians.
