Dubai: At least three people, including two children, have been killed and 49 others injured following a collision between two passenger trains in the city of Zagazig, northeast of Cairo.
The Egyptian health ministry reported on Saturday that five of the injured are in unstable condition, and rescue operations are still ongoing.
The accident occurred when a train travelling from Zagazig to Ismailia collided with another train en route from Mansoura to Zagazig. Video footage from the scene shows a severely damaged carriage surrounded by emergency responders and bystanders, with men attempting to lift injured passengers through windows.
The health ministry deployed 30 ambulances and additional medical teams to the site, with the wounded being transported to Al Ahrar and Zagazig University hospitals for treatment.
Last month, a train crash in Alexandria killed two people when a train collided with a truck crossing the tracks. The recent Zagazig crash adds to a series of deadly rail incidents in Egypt, which has seen frequent train crashes in recent years.
Notable past accidents include the 2021 collision that resulted in 32 deaths and 165 injuries, the 2019 Ramses station fire that killed 25, and the 2002 Luxor train fire, which remains the deadliest rail disaster in the country’s history with over 360 fatalities.