 "The scene of the train collision in Zagazig. Two of the three dead were children, authorities said. AP")
At least three people died after two passenger trains collided in Egypt’s Nile Delta on Saturday. The authorities noted that out of the three passengers who died in the tragic incident, two of them were children. The crash took place in the city of Zagazig, the capital of Sharqiya province, The Guardian reported.
Egypt’s health ministry also revealed that the collision has injured 49 others, with many fearing an increase in the death toll. It is pertinent to note that train derailments and crashes are quite common in Egypt. One of the main reasons for the rise in train accidents is the country’s ageing railway system which has also been plagued by mismanagement.
While in recent years the government has announced several initiatives to improve railways, nothing concrete has been implemented to tackle the situation. Back in 2018, Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi announced that 250 billion Egyptian pounds ($8.13 billion) would be required to overhaul the neglected rail network.
Rescue operation underway
Visuals from the site of the tragic accident showed one of the train cars crumpled by the impact as rescue workers tried to lift the injured victims from the rubble. In a recent update, the Egyptian health ministry noted that five of the injured victims are in critical condition and the rescue operation is still ongoing.
According to Sky News, one of the trains involved in the crash was heading from Zagazig to Ismailia, while the other was on its way from Mansoura to Zagazig.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsLast month, Egypt witnessed a similar tragedy after a train crashed into a truck crossing the train tracks in the Mediterranean province of Alexandria. The incident led to the death of two people.
With inputs from agencies.