Transport minister vows exemplary punishment for employees behind Upper Egypt train crash

CAIRO – 13 October 2024: Minister of Transport Kamel El-Wazir stressed that those accountable for the train collision in Upper Egypt on Sunday, which resulted in one fatality and 21 injuries, will face “exemplary punishment.”

In a statement, Wazir, also serving as the Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Development, emphasized that the individuals responsible for the incident, whether they are train operators, signaling tower supervisors, operational engineers, or the area's official, will be directed to the Public Prosecution for investigation.

He further stated that this measure is intended to apply stringent penalties on the responsible parties, commensurate with the gravity of their crime.

“No offender will evade punishment as a deterrent measure and so that they constitute a lesson for those who neglect, err, or evade their work responsibilities,” Wazir emphasized.

Moreover, he highlighted that the Ministry of Transport will enforce rigorous legal and disciplinary measures against negligent individuals to eradicate them from the railway system.

“The ministry will not shield any wrongdoer for their misconduct, regardless of whether it results from negligence, recklessness, or a disregard for the laws and regulations of the Egyptian National Railways,” the minister stressed.

He reiterated the importance of penalizing individuals for such errors that “put the lives of innocent citizens at risk and compromise the safety of equipment and machinery owned by the public.”

PLUNGING INTO CANAL

Tragedy struck as one person was killed and 21 individuals were injured in Upper Egypt, according to figures released by the Ministry of Health, when a locomotive collided with the rear of a sleeper train en route from Aswan to Cairo.

The collision caused two train carriages to fall into the Ibrahimiya Canal in Minya governorate.

The Ministry of Health has reported that 19 of the injured have been discharged from the hospital after receiving necessary treatment, while two individuals are still receiving care at Minya General Hospital.

Preliminary medical assessments suggest that the injuries include bruises, abrasions, and external wounds, according to the ministry. Medical professionals are currently assessing the precise health conditions of the injured individuals.

The train was successfully uncoupled from the affected carriages, allowing it to resume its journey towards Cairo, according to a statement by the Egyptian National Railways.

Wazir earlier instructed his deputy for railways and the Egyptian National Railways’ chief to proceed to the accident site to establish a specialized committee for investigating the technical causes of the incident.

The incident comes a month after two passenger trains collided in Zagazig city in Egypt’s Nile delta, killing three people, two of them children, and injuring over 40 others.