Online Desk 

At least seven people have been killed and 112 others injured in a collision between two trains south of the Egyptian capital, Cairo. The deceased include the conductors of both trains.

The accident occurred on Sunday (November 8) in the Al-Ayyat area of Giza Governorate. Egypt's Office of the Public Prosecutor confirmed the information in a statement.

According to the country's Ministry of Transport, the accident site is located approximately 52 kilometres south of Cairo. A train heading towards Fayoum collided with the rear section of another train travelling towards Aswan.

The Office of the Public Prosecutor said investigators had arrived at the scene following the accident. Preliminary observations indicated that the last carriage of a Cairo–Aswan train, travelling in the same direction on the same track, was struck by a Giza–Fayoum train.

A local resident, Ayman Gamal, said nearby residents rushed to the scene immediately after the collision, helped with rescue efforts and called ambulances. According to him, around 80 injured people were taken to nearby hospitals by ambulance.

Meanwhile, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi announced in a social media post that he had ordered an investigation into the accident. An investigation is already underway.

Egypt's railway authorities said emergency rescue teams and cranes had been dispatched to the accident site. Efforts are underway to clear the wreckage and restore normal train services as quickly as possible.

Railway accidents are not uncommon in Egypt. The country's railway system has long faced criticism over poor management and inadequate maintenance of equipment.

In 2002, more than 300 people were killed when a passenger train travelling from Cairo towards southern Egypt caught fire.

Source: AFP, Reuters