Seven Killed, 112 Injured as Two Trains Collide South of Cairo

Seven people were killed and 112 injured on Sunday when two passenger trains collided south of Cairo, in the latest deadly accident on Egypt’s troubled railway network.

The crash happened in the Al-Ayyat district of Giza governorate, about 52 kilometres south of the Egyptian capital, between the Kafr Ammar and Al-Raqqa stations. A train travelling from Giza to Fayoum hit the rear of a train travelling from Cairo to Aswan, derailing several carriages.

What happened

Egypt’s railway authority said the Fayoum-bound train ran into the back of the Aswan-bound service. The force of the impact derailed several carriages.

Health officials first reported four dead and 88 injured, but the toll later rose to seven dead and 112 injured. One of those killed was a train conductor, according to the Chief Prosecutor’s office.

Egypt’s Ministry of Health and Population said the injured were taken to hospitals in Giza and the nearby Beni Suef governorate, with injuries ranging from bruises and cuts to broken limbs and head and chest injuries.

Seventy-two ambulances took part in the rescue and evacuation operation. By Monday morning, 45 of the injured had been discharged, and seven more were expected to be released soon.

Investigation ordered

President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi said he was following the accident “with great concern” and ordered an urgent investigation to “hold accountable anyone found to have been negligent”.

Prosecutors arrived at the site on Sunday evening. The railway authority has not yet said what caused the crash.

Why it matters

The crash happened in Al-Ayyat, the same area where Egypt’s worst-ever rail disaster took place. In February 2002, a fire swept through a crowded overnight train near Al-Ayyat, killing 373 people.

Deadly accidents have happened again and again on Egypt’s railways. In March 2021, two trains collided in Sohag, killing 18 people and injuring 200; prosecutors later found gross negligence by railway staff. Official figures recorded 1,793 train accidents in Egypt in 2017 alone.

What happens next

Investigators will now try to establish why the two trains were on the same stretch of track and whether signalling, human error or a technical failure was to blame. Any findings of negligence could lead to criminal charges against railway staff. The crash is also likely to renew public pressure on the government to speed up its long-promised modernisation of the railway network.

Sources

• Malay Mail: https://www.malaymail.com/amp/news/world/2026/11/09/two-trains-collide-south-of-cairo-killing-seven/242528
• IANS: https://ianslive.in/death-toll-from-egypts-train-collision-rises-to-7-with-112-injured–20261109065748
• Telangana Today: https://telanganatoday.com/seven-killed-over-100-injured-in-train-collision-south-of-cairo
• Dawn: https://www.dawn.com/news/23439/373-egyptians-die-in-train-fire
• Al Jazeera: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/4/12/egyptian-prosecutors-find-gross-negligence-behind-train-crash

This article is for general information and education only. It is not legal or financial advice.