2009 El Ayyat railway accident
| El Ayyat train collision | |
|---|---|
  | |
| Details | |
| Date | 24 October 2009 |
| Location | El Ayyat, Giza |
| Coordinates | 29°37′00″N 31°15′00″E / 29.6167°N 31.25°E |
| Country | Egypt |
| Incident type | train collision |
| Cause | Suspected train stoppage due to animals on track |
| Statistics | |
| Trains | 2 |
| Passengers | 0 |
| Deaths | at least 50[1] |
| Injured | at least 30[1] |
| Damage | several carriages destroyed |
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] The official death toll has increased and might increase further.[5][6][7] One of the trains was going southward to visit the Asyut and Aswan, popular tourist destinations.[8]
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][9][10][11] The second train was first class and had many passengers aboard;[8] the first one was traveling light.[8] It was thought that two carriages were wrecked completely.[12]
Reports described passengers jumping out of the train, but one carriage fell on another and the two had to be separated by a crane.[5] Attempts to find survivors in the two carriages were eventually halted when rescuers concluded there were no further survivors in or under either car.[13] Carriages were cut to reach the passengers.[14] Casualties were hospitalised.[13] Searches continued throughout the night after the crash.[6]
Egyptian railway authorities immediately announced an investigation into the crash.[8] The Egyptian government was criticised for its reaction by some of the surviving passengers.[15] 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.[16][17] The crash was first reported on Twitter, with news networks initially reluctant to provide coverage.[15]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d "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.
- ^ Johnston, Cynthia (24 October 2009). "Egyptian passenger trains collide, at least 15 dead". Reuters.
- ^ "Deadly train collision in Egypt". 25 October 2009 – via BBC News.
- ^ "Breaking News, World News and Video from al Jazeera".
- ^ a b "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.
- ^ a b "Egypt train collision kills 25". Euronews. 25 October 2009. Archived from the original on 5 November 2009. Retrieved 25 October 2009.
- ^ "So far 25 people dead as two trains head down same track". Al Arabiya. 24 October 2009. Retrieved 25 October 2009.
- ^ a b c d "18 killed in Egypt train crash". Raidió Teilifís Éireann. 25 October 2009. Retrieved 25 October 2009.
- ^ Adam Arnold (25 October 2009). "Water Buffalo Caused Deadly Train Crash". Sky News. Retrieved 25 October 2009.
- ^ "Stray cow triggers deadly Egyptian train collision". The Australian. 26 October 2009. Archived from the original on 15 December 2012. Retrieved 25 October 2009.
- ^ "25 killed in Egyptian train crash". Radio Netherlands Worldwide. 25 October 2009. Archived from the original on 30 October 2009. Retrieved 25 October 2009.
- ^ "15 killed in Cairo train collision". Irish Independent. 25 October 2009. Retrieved 25 October 2009.
- ^ a b "Deadly train crash in Egypt". Al Jazeera. 25 October 2009. Archived from the original on 26 October 2009. Retrieved 25 October 2009.
- ^ "22 killed in Egypt train collision". Thaindian News. 25 October 2009. Archived from the original on 28 October 2009. Retrieved 25 October 2009.
- ^ a b "Egypt train crash leaves dozens dead". Bikya Masr. 25 October 2009. Retrieved 25 October 2009.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Egyptian police: 2 trains collide in Cairo outskirts, killing 14". The Jerusalem Post. 24 October 2009. Retrieved 25 October 2009.[permanent dead link]