LE100K for family of victims killed in Sohag train collision, death toll decreases after 20 recovered from coma

CAIRO – 27 March 2021: Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly has said measures have been taken to compensate the victims of the Sohag train collision and their families, as well as precautions to avoid such accidents.

In a Saturday press conference, Madbouly and several ministers addressed the tragedy that took place on Friday. Solidarity Minister Nevine el-Kabbag said President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi demanded that compensations are dispensed promptly, as well as providing medical, psychological and social care for the victims.

The family of a victim killed in the accident is entitled to L.E. 100,000, and a victim who has incurred a disability will be compensated in commensurately with the injury from L.E. 100,000 to L.E. 40,000. Further, a life-time pension will be available for the victims.

A total of L.E. 20,000 have already been available for the families of the deceased since Saturday as part of a prompt compensation, and L.E. 5,000-10,000 for the injured.

Al-Azhar and NGOs have also expressed willingness to help with the social assistance of the victims and their families in terms of education, work and psychological welfare, according to Kabbag.

For her part, Minister of Health Hala Zayed said the death toll reported at the time of the accident was not accurate because people in post-concussion coma were initially reported dead. She added that 20 people were in such coma. The latest death toll stands at 19 after it was first reported to be more than 30. 

Zayed also said the first ambulance arrived at the scene five minutes after the accident, praising the locals for helping emergency crews.