Train crash in Egypt leaves 32 people dead

(MENAFN - Khaama Press) Officials told reporters in Egypt that at least 32 people were killed and 165 others were injured in a train accident in Central Egypt. Two passenger trains have derailed and overturned following a collision near the city of Tahta in Sohag province, BBC reported. The incident happened when 'unknown individuals' activated emergency brakes causing the upcoming train in the same track to crash into one another, Egypt's railway authority indicated. Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi vowed to punish those responsible for causing such a horrific accident. "Anyone who caused this painful accident through negligence or corruption, or anything similar, must receive a deterrent punishment without exception or delay,"al-Sisi tweeted. The disaster occurred 365km railway south of the capital Cairo, as one of the trains were traveling between the city of Luxor and the Mediterranean port of Alexandria, while the second train on the same track was in route between Capital of the Egypt Cairo, and the city of Aswan. BBC reported, more than 70 ambulances were deployed to the accident site to take the injured to hospitals, the scene was very intense and cranes are required to take people out who were trapped underneath the train. Efforts are underway to rescue the trapped bodies, the Egyptian government also promised to provide financial compensations to the victims, and an upgrade is required in the country's railway system. As maintenance and investments weakens in the railway system of Egypt such incidents have frequently kept occurring. Earlier in 2002 373 people died following a fire breakout on a train in south of Cairo.MENAFN27032021000228011069ID1101818931