Sohag train collision

On 26 March 2021, two trains collided in the Tahta district of the Sohag Governorate in Egypt.[2] Eighteen people were killed and at least 200 others were injured.[3] The incident was initiated by an unidentified person or persons intentionally triggering the emergency brakes on the leading train which was then hit by the following train.[4]

Sohag train collision
Details
Date26 March 2021 (2021-03-26)
11:42 EST (09:42 UTC)[1]
LocationTahta district, Sohag Governorate
Coordinates26°44′41″N 31°31′47″E
CountryEgypt
LineCairo–Aswan Line
OperatorEgyptian Railway Authority
Incident typeCollision
CauseIntentional triggering of emergency brakes, failure to stop following train
Statistics
Trains2
Deaths18
Injured200

Background
See also: Egyptian National Railways

Egypt's railways have a record of poor equipment maintenance, neglect, and bad management.[5] The government records nearly 11,000 accidents on rail lines between 2008 and 2017, including a high of 1,793 in 2017. In 2018, President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi stated that the country's government lacked the 250 billion EGP (14 billion USD) in funds required to address all the problems within the rail system.[6]

Incident

The collision occurred in the Tahta district of the Sohag Governorate, approximately 460 km (290 mi) south of the capital city of Cairo. The Egyptian Ministry of Transportation has said passengers in the front train, heading from Luxor to Alexandria, pulled the emergency brakes while in transit between the stations of El Maragha and Tahta. This caused the train to come to a stop, where it was then hit from behind by a second train that was heading from Aswan to Cairo,[1][7] which destroyed two carriages and caused a third to overturn.[5] Initial death tolls were given at 32, which was revised down to 19 and later to 18.[3]

Response

Seventy-four ambulances were dispatched to treat passengers.[7]

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly announced that the families of victims killed in the crash would be given compensation of 100,000 EGP (6,000 USD) and lifetime pensions.[8]

Investigation

On 11 April 2021, Egypt's prosecution service declared that nobody was at the controls of one of the trains when they both collided. In addition, one of the train drivers had deactivated the automatic train control system (ATC) in order to move faster, while an assistant of the stationary train was under the influence of tramadol, and a control tower guard had used cannabis.[9]

See also

References
  1. "More than 30 killed as two trains collide in Egypt". CNN. 26 March 2021. Archived from the original on 26 March 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  2. "Egypt: Train collision kills 32 after emergency brakes triggered". Al Jazeera English. 26 March 2021. Archived from the original on 26 March 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  3. "Egypt orders eight arrests over fatal train crash". Gulf News. 29 March 2021. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  4. "Egypt train crash kills 32 people, injures scores". Reuters. 26 March 2021. Archived from the original on 26 March 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  5. "Egypt: Several killed in passenger train collision". Deutsche Welle. 26 March 202. Archived from the original on 26 March 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  6. El-Naggar, Mona (26 March 2021). "Trains Collide in Egypt, Killing at Least 32". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 26 March 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  7. "Train collision in southern Egypt kills 32, injures 66". MSN. Archived from the original on 30 March 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  8. "LE100K for family of victims killed in Sohag train collision, death toll decreases after 20 recovered from coma". EgyptToday. 27 March 2021. Archived from the original on 28 March 2021. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
  9. "Egypt prosecutors find gross negligence behind train crash". ABC News. 12 April 2021.
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