2009 El Ayyat railway accident

The El Ayyat train collision killed at least 50 people and injured 30 others on 24 October 2009.[1] The incident occurred in El Ayyat, 6th of October Governorate, located 50 km south of Cairo.[2][3][4][5] The official death toll has increased and might increase further.[6][7][8][9] One of the trains was going southward to visit the Asyut and Aswan, popular tourist destinations.[10]

Not to be confused with 2002 El Ayyat railway accident.

El Ayyat train collision
Details
Date24 October 2009
LocationEl Ayyat, Giza
Coordinates29.6167°N 31.25°E / 29.6167; 31.25
CountryEgypt
Incident typetrain collision
CauseSuspected SPAD
Statistics
Trains2
Passengers0
Deathsat least 50[1]
Injuredat least 30[1]
Damageseveral carriages destroyed

A second train slammed into the first, which had stopped to allow an animal, described by various witnesses and officials as either a cow or a water buffalo, to make its way safely across.[1][11][12][13] The second train was first class and had many passengers aboard;[10] the first one was traveling light.[10] It was thought that two carriages were wrecked completely.[14]

Reports described passengers jumping out of the train, but one carriage fell on another and the two had to be separated by a crane.[7] Attempts to find survivors in the two carriages were eventually halted when rescuers concluded there were no further survivors in or under either car.[15] Carriages were cut to reach the passengers.[16] Casualties were hospitalised.[15] Searches continued throughout the night after the crash.[8]

Egyptian railway authorities immediately announced an investigation into the crash.[10] The Egyptian government was criticised for its reaction by some of the surviving passengers.[17] Dubai's daily newspaper Gulf News and Israeli publication The Jerusalem Post both suggested officials on-scene had been forbidden from speaking to the media about the incident.[18][19] The crash was first reported on Twitter, with news networks initially reluctant to provide coverage.[17]

See also

References
  1. "Over 50 killed as one train rams into another in Egypt". Press Trust of India. 25 October 2009. Archived from the original on 30 October 2009. Retrieved 25 October 2009.
  2. Editorial, Reuters. "Egyptian passenger trains collide, at least 15 dead".
  3. "Deadly train collision in Egypt". 25 October 2009 – via BBC News.
  5. "25 die in train collision in Egypt". Press TV. 25 October 2009. Archived from the original on 26 October 2009. Retrieved 25 October 2009.
  6. "Death toll in Egypt train collision rises to 25". RIA Novosti. 25 October 2009. Archived from the original on 28 October 2009. Retrieved 25 October 2009.
  7. "Passengers leap from train in crash that kills 25". The Sydney Morning Herald. 26 October 2009. Archived from the original on 28 October 2009. Retrieved 25 October 2009.
  8. "Egypt train collision kills 25". Euronews. 25 October 2009. Archived from the original on 5 November 2009. Retrieved 25 October 2009.
  9. "So far 25 people dead as two trains head down same track". Al Arabiya. 24 October 2009. Retrieved 25 October 2009.
  10. "18 killed in Egypt train crash". Raidió Teilifís Éireann. 25 October 2009. Retrieved 25 October 2009.
  11. Adam Arnold (25 October 2009). "Water Buffalo Caused Deadly Train Crash". Sky News. Retrieved 25 October 2009.
  12. "Stray cow triggers deadly Egyptian train collision". The Australian. 26 October 2009. Archived from the original on 15 December 2012. Retrieved 25 October 2009.
  13. "25 killed in Egyptian train crash". Radio Netherlands Worldwide. 25 October 2009. Archived from the original on 30 October 2009. Retrieved 25 October 2009.
  14. "15 killed in Cairo train collision". Irish Independent. 25 October 2009. Retrieved 25 October 2009.
  15. "Deadly train crash in Egypt". Al Jazeera. 25 October 2009. Archived from the original on 26 October 2009. Retrieved 25 October 2009.
  16. "22 killed in Egypt train collision". Thaindian News. 25 October 2009. Archived from the original on 28 October 2009. Retrieved 25 October 2009.
  17. "Egypt train crash leaves dozens dead". Bikya Masr. 25 October 2009. Retrieved 25 October 2009.
  18. "More than 25 dead, 55 injured in Egyptian train collision". Gulf News. 25 October 2009. Archived from the original on 28 October 2009. Retrieved 25 October 2009.
  19. "Egyptian police: 2 trains collide in Cairo outskirts, killing 14". The Jerusalem Post. 24 October 2009. Retrieved 25 October 2009.
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