The death toll from the collision between two trains near the city of Giza in Egypt has risen to seven, while more than 100 people have been injured.
According to Egyptian authorities, the two trains were travelling southbound, one from Giza towards Fayoum and the other from Cairo towards Aswan, when they collided, causing several carriages to derail and overturn.
Numerous emergency response teams were dispatched to the scene, while the injured were transported to nearby hospitals, which were placed on heightened alert to accommodate the influx of patients.
The Ministry of Health reported that most of the injured suffered fractures and head injuries. Among the fatalities was the driver of one of the trains.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office warned that the death toll could rise, while Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi ordered an investigation into the circumstances of the accident and called for anyone found to have neglected their duties to be held accountable.
Following the accident, train services between Giza and the Upper Egypt region have been suspended.
The collision occurred near the area where one of Egypt’s deadliest railway disasters took place in February 2002, when a fire aboard a passenger train claimed more than 370 lives, according to official figures.
