Deadly Egypt train crash prompts calls for political accountability

A train collision near Cairo killed at least seven people and injured more than 125, prompting calls in Egypt’s parliament and opposition for officials to be held accountable. The crash has renewed scrutiny of whether major state spending on railway upgrades is improving passenger safety.

On Sunday, a train travelling from Giza to Fayoum struck the rear of a Cairo-to-Aswan train, which derailed onto a road in al-Ayyat district. President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi ordered an urgent investigation, while parliament’s transport committee called in Transport Minister Kamel el-Wazir to discuss the crash and prevention measures. Politicians differ on whether the minister or wider government should face consequences; the area has also seen deadly rail disasters, including a 2002 fire that killed more than 370 people and a 2009 collision that killed 15.