Egyptian trains in head-on collision

Photo: AP

Earlier reports suggested that 10 people had died in the accident which occurred on the mainline between Cairo and Damietta.

The two trains were travelling in opposite directions when they collided head-on on the single line between Shirbin and and Bilquas during the evening rush-hour at about 17.45 (1545 GMT). Reports from Egypt say that one of the trains came to rest in a field and caught fire destroying the first carriage. Fire also broke out in the locomotive of the other train.

Authorities are blaming the accident on a series of failures. A telephone network linking rail stations was not working, one train did not have a signalman aboard as required in rural areas and a controller failed to provide the correct signal indication to the trains. A crewmember from one of the trains is among 17 people who have been arrested in connection with the accident.

Sources:

CNN Interactive, CBC News, Nando Times, BBC Online