Deadly Train Collision In Egypt Was Caused By Unidentified Persons - Egyptian Railways

CAIRO (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 26th March, 2021) The deadly train collision in Egypt's southern Sohag province occurred after a passenger train suddenly stopped, as unidentified individuals pulled emergency cords, the Egyptian National Railways said on Friday.

Earlier in the day, at least 32 people were killed and over 60 others injured in the accident.

"Unidentified persons opened the safety valve of several carriages of the Luxor-Alexandria train, after which the train stopped. At 11:42 [09:42 GMT], another train, which was en route from Aswan to Cairo, crashed into the back of this train," the Egyptian National Railways said in a statement, obtained by Sputnik.

As a result, two carriages of the Luxor-Alexandria train derailed, as well as the locomotive and a carriage of the Aswan-Cairo train.

"A technical commission was formed to establish the causes of the incident," the Egyptian National Railways went on to say.

Effort is being made to to restore traffic on a section of the railway.