Egypt prosecutor says driver was not at cabin controls during deadly train crash
Neither the driver nor the assistant of an Egyptian train that crashed at speed into another last month were at the controls during the deadly accident, the country’s prosecutor said Sunday.
At least 20 people died and 199 were injured in the March 26 crash near Sohag in southern Egypt, according to the authorities’ latest count.
An initial death toll of 32, announced on the day of the crash, has been corrected several times since by authorities, to 19, then 18 and now 20.
For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
According to an investigative report cited by the prosecutor on Sunday, the driver and his assistant “were not in the driver’s cabin” at the time of the crash, “contrary to their claims.”
The country has suffered several deadly train accidents in recent years.
Egypt’s Transport Minister Kamel el-Wazir -- a former general named to the post after a deadly 2019 collision -- had already blamed last month’s crash on “human” error.
He has pledged to put in a place an automated network by 2024.
President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has pledged to hold those responsible for the crash to account.
At least eight people, including the driver and assistant cited above, were arrested shortly after the crash.
Video images caught on a surveillance camera and seen by AFP show the train hitting the other at speed, sending one carriage high into the air, in an immense cloud of dust.
The accident happened in the village of Samaa Gharb, 460 kilometers south of Cairo.
Read more:
CCTV captures moment of deadly train collision in Egypt’s Sohag
Railway traffic resumes in southern Egypt after deadly train crash
-
Egypt’s hotels at half capacity had 40-45 pct occupancy rate in Q1 2021: Official
The occupancy rate of Egypt’s hotels, which are running at half capacity due to COVID-19 regulations, was between 40 percent and 45 percent in the ... Economy -
Egypt, Sudan reject Ethiopian proposal for data sharing on Renaissance dam
Egypt and Sudan on Saturday rejected an Ethiopian proposal to share data on the operations of its giant hydropower dam on the Blue Nile after ... Middle East -
Famous Egyptian archaeologist reveals details of ancient Pharaonic city
Egypt’s best-known archaeologist on Saturday revealed further details on a Pharaonic city recently found in the southern province of Luxor.Zahi Hawass ... Travel and Tourism -
Egypt arrests eight over fatal train crash: Prosecutor
Egypt has ordered the arrest of eight people over a collision between two trains that killed 18 people last week, the prosecutor’s office said ... Middle East -
Egypt building collapse death doll climbs to 25
Egyptian state media said Sunday that at least 25 people were killed in a 10-storey building collapse in Cairo the day before, revising the toll up ... North Africa