Tragedy on the Tracks: Unauthorised Crossing Leads to Deadly Crash in Egypt

A tragic train crash in northern Egypt's Ismailia province resulted in eight deaths and 12 injuries when a train collided with a minibus at an unauthorised crossing. The incident highlights the ongoing issues within Egypt's aging railway system, where crashes are frequent due to mismanagement and outdated infrastructure.

A devastating accident occurred Thursday when a train collided with a minibus attempting to cross the tracks at an unauthorised point in northern Egypt's Ismailia province. The tragic crash claimed the lives of at least eight individuals and left 12 others injured, according to government reports.

The Egyptian health ministry announced that over a dozen ambulances were dispatched to the accident site. Victims, including children, were transported to East Qantara Central Hospital, where one child remains in critical condition. Unauthorised crossings like the one involved in this incident are a recurring concern amid Egypt's aging and mismanaged railway infrastructure.

Recent years have seen several train accidents across Egypt, attributed to outdated systems and oversight issues. In 2018, President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi proposed a comprehensive railway overhaul costing 250 billion Egyptian pounds (approximately USD 8.13 billion) to address these chronic problems.

(With inputs from agencies.)