Alex prosecution remands Port Said train driver into custody

CAIRO – 14 August 2017: The Alexandria prosecution has decided to remand into custody the driver and assistant of the Port Said railway train, which broke down in Ezbet al-Sheikh village on Friday.

The prosecution has decided to release five other employees on Sunday after hearing their testimonies regarding the train collision.

Meanwhile, the prosecution has decided to summon ten officials of the Alexandria Railway Authority to hear their testimonies about the collision that left 41 dead and 182 others injured.

Earlier on Sunday, the East Alexandria prosecution had decided to hold the driver of the Express 13 train, 41-year-old Emad Helmy, for 15 days in custody. The inspector of the train was put under tight security in Gamal Abdel Nasser Hospital, where he is being treated.

The KBC equipment of the train, which should help determine what caused the accident, was sent to forensics to be inspected and emptied. The prosecution ordered the release of employees of other train and the station.

Blood and urine samples were taken from the Cairo train driver and his assistant to determine whether they were under the influence of any narcotics.

The head of the Sidi Gaber station was summoned Friday night and questioned about what could have caused the accident and about his role as an official in coordinating successive trains.

The Express 13 train was headed from Cairo to Alexandria on Friday at 2:15 pm, when it collided with the 571 train, coming from Port Said to Alexandria, near Khorshid station. The accident caused more than 40 fatalities and 170 injuries according to the Ministry of Health and Population.