At least seven people have been killed and 112 others injured after two passenger trains collided south of Cairo, derailing several carriages and triggering a major emergency response as authorities launched an investigation into one of Egypt’s latest deadly railway disasters.
The collision occurred on Sunday in the Al-Ayyat district of Giza governorate, between Kafr Ammar and Al-Raqqa railway stations, where a train travelling from Giza to Fayoum crashed into the rear of another train heading from Cairo to the southern city of Aswan.
According to Egypt’s National Railways Authority, the Cairo-to-Aswan train was stationary when it was struck from behind, causing several carriages to derail and overturn.
Images from the scene showed severely damaged carriages lying beside the tracks, with residents and emergency workers searching through the wreckage for injured passengers.
The Egyptian Health Ministry confirmed that seven people had died and 112 others were injured. One of the train’s crew members was among those killed.
Health Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar said the injured suffered a range of injuries, including fractures, head wounds, bruises and chest injuries.
A total of 72 ambulances were deployed to the crash site, transporting casualties to hospitals in Giza and neighbouring Beni Suef governorate.
Hospitals were placed on heightened alert to accommodate the influx of patients, while medical teams worked to treat those injured in the collision.
Authorities said 45 patients had been discharged after receiving medical treatment, with others remaining under observation.
President orders investigation
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi ordered an immediate investigation into the circumstances surrounding the disaster, demanding accountability for anyone found responsible through negligence.
The president also expressed condolences to the families of those killed and wished the injured a speedy recovery.
Egypt’s Public Prosecution announced that investigators had been dispatched to the scene to examine the wreckage and establish the technical circumstances that led to the collision.
Emergency crews and heavy machinery were deployed to remove damaged carriages and clear the railway tracks.
Rail services between Cairo and Upper Egypt were disrupted, with the railway authority arranging alternative bus transport for stranded passengers.
Officials said efforts were under way to restore normal services, although no definitive timetable was provided.
History of deadly railway disasters
The collision has renewed concerns about railway safety in Egypt, where repeated accidents have raised questions over maintenance standards, signalling systems and operational oversight.
Al-Ayyat, the district where Sunday’s collision occurred, has witnessed several of the country’s most devastating railway accidents.
In February 2002, a fire swept through an overcrowded passenger train travelling from Cairo to Luxor, killing more than 360 people in what remains Egypt’s deadliest railway disaster.
The same area witnessed further fatal collisions in 2009, while a collision between two freight trains in September 2026 injured a driver and his assistant.
Despite substantial government investment in modernising Egypt’s railway infrastructure, accidents involving derailments and collisions continue to occur.
Official statistics recorded 170 railway accidents across Egypt in 2025, compared with 220 the previous year.
The latest disaster has intensified scrutiny of railway safety and the effectiveness of measures introduced to prevent further tragedies.
Investigators are now working to determine why the two trains were on the same track and what caused the collision, as families mourn those killed and injured passengers continue receiving treatment.
