Two passenger trains collided south of Cairo on Nov. 8, killing between four and seven people and injuring over 100 passengers after a Fayoum-bound train struck the rear of an Aswan-bound service, according to the Egyptian Railway Authority.
The collision occurred in the al-Ayyat district of Giza province, between 32 and 35 miles south of Cairo, between the Kafr Ammar and Al-Raqqa stations near the Gerza intersection. The impact derailed several carriages, mangling one end and throwing another train car off the tracks into an adjacent agricultural field.
Medical Response and Casualty Discrepancies
Official casualty figures fluctuated during the initial rescue operation. Egyptian health authorities initially confirmed four deaths and 88 injuries, while state-owned media had first cited 120 injured before specific agency counts appeared. An updated assessment from the Minister of Health and Population raised the confirmed toll to seven dead and 112 wounded. A train driver was among those confirmed killed.
Local emergency services dispatched 72 ambulances to the site, placing hospitals across Al Wasta, Al-Ayyat, and Beni Suef on alert. Injuries included cuts, contusions, bone fractures, and chest bruising, with 45 patients discharged after treatment, the health minister reported. The Egyptian Red Crescent deployed response teams from four governorates to support victims and families. Italian officials confirmed no Italian nationals were involved, and no foreign tourists were reported harmed.
Site Clearing and Crash Inquiry
Railway crews brought heavy cranes to the tracks to remove mangled train cars and clear the line for normal travel. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi ordered state agencies to provide required medical treatment and open an immediate inquiry into the collision.
"I have 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," al-Sisi said.
The al-Ayyat district has recorded severe rail accidents in past years, including a 2002 train fire that killed over 370 people, crashes in 2009 that left dozens dead, and a freight train collision in September.
