Tragedy struck in Egypt as a train collision in the city of Zagazig resulted in the deaths of at least three individuals and left 49 others injured, according to the country's health ministry.
The collision prompted a swift response, with thirty ambulances and additional medical teams dispatched to the scene to assist with rescue efforts. The injured were promptly transferred to Al-Ahrar and Zagazig University hospitals for treatment, with five individuals reported to be in unstable conditions.
Images from the scene depicted the chaotic aftermath of the collision, with onlookers gathered around the twisted wreckage of the trains as emergency responders worked tirelessly to aid the victims.
This tragic incident adds to a concerning trend of railway accidents in Egypt, with fatal incidents occurring almost annually over the past two decades. In 2018, the country recorded 2,044 train accidents, followed by 1,793 in the subsequent year, as reported by the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS).
Notable past accidents include a collision in 2021 that claimed the lives of 32 individuals and injured 165, as well as a 2019 incident at Ramses station in central Cairo where 25 people lost their lives in a fiery collision. The city of Alexandria witnessed a devastating train collision in 2017 that resulted in over 40 fatalities and numerous injuries.
One of the deadliest rail accidents in Egyptian history occurred in 2002 when a fire onboard a passenger train traveling from Cairo to Luxor led to the tragic deaths of more than 360 individuals.
The recurring nature of these incidents underscores the urgent need for enhanced safety measures and infrastructure improvements within Egypt's railway system to prevent further loss of life and injuries in the future.
