15 Jan 2013

At least 19 killed after train derails in Egypt

7:58 pm on 15 January 2013

A train crash in Egypt has killed at least 19 people and left more than 100 injured.

The train was carrying military conscripts and was travelling to an army camp in Cairo when it derailed in the Badrashin area of Giza, south-west of the capital on Monday.

It is not yet known what caused the accident.

Egypt's roads and railways have a poor safety record. In November last year, 50 children died after a train slammed into their school bus near Manfalut, the BBC reports.

The transport minister and the head of the railway authority were forced to resign in the wake of that crash.

Investigations later revealed that the barriers at the crossing were not closed because the signal operator had fallen asleep.

Monday's incident occurred as the army train was heading from Upper Egypt into Cairo. Reports say more than 1300 passengers were aboard the train when the accident happened shortly after midnight.

The injured passengers have been taken to hospitals, the governor of Giza said.