At least four people have been killed and 88 others injured after two trains collided in Egypt, causing several carriages to derail in an accident south of the capital, Cairo.
The crash occurred on Sunday in the Al-Ayyat area of Giza when a train travelling from Giza to Fayoum rammed into the rear of another train operating from Cairo to the southern city of Aswan.
Egypt’s Health Ministry confirmed the casualties, saying the injured passengers were receiving treatment at various hospitals across the Giza area.
The initial casualty figure was higher, with state-owned media earlier reporting that about 120 people had sustained injuries.
Following the incident, emergency responders were deployed to the scene, where cranes were used to remove damaged carriages and rescue trapped passengers.
Images from the scene showed several train coaches lying on their sides, while parts of the affected trains were severely damaged by the impact.
President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said he was monitoring developments surrounding the accident with great concern and had directed relevant authorities to launch an immediate investigation.
He also ordered that anyone found responsible for negligence be held accountable.
Authorities have commenced investigations to establish the circumstances surrounding the collision.
The accident has renewed concerns over railway safety in Egypt, where the rail network, one of the largest in Africa, has recorded several deadly crashes over the years.
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The Al-Ayyat area, where Sunday’s collision occurred, has previously witnessed some of the country’s worst railway disasters.
In 2002, more than 370 people died after a fire engulfed a passenger train conveying holiday travellers south of Cairo.
Similarly, multiple train accidents in the area in 2009 claimed dozens of lives.
Egypt, with a population of about 110 million, relies heavily on its railway system for passenger transportation.
Although the government has invested billions of dollars in modernising the country’s transport infrastructure, including highways and high-speed rail projects, significant portions of its ageing railway network remain in need of upgrades.