Two passenger trains have collided near the coastal city of Alexandria, Egypt, causing 42 fatalities and injuring more than 133, according to the Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population.
The collision occurred near the suburban Khorshid station on the outskirts of Alexandria, reported Reuters.
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Egypt Transport Minister Hisham Arafat said that a ‘human-error’ may have caused the accident, without stating further details.
An eye-witness of the incident named Hoda told the news agency: “They rose in the air forming a pyramid when they collided.
“I started to scream from the rooftops for people to grab some sheets and run.”
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has ordered an investigation into the collision, promising compensation to the victims’ families.
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By GlobalDataThe Railway Authority Chief Medhat Shousha tendered his resignation following the incident, which has been accepted by Egypt's Ministry of Transportation.
The crash is the latest in a string of incidents in recent years that have raised public concern over the safety of the country's rail networks.
A train previously crashed into a school bus near Cairo in 2012, resulting in the deaths of dozens of people, including many children.
Egypt's worst train disaster occurred in 2002 when seven railcars of a passenger train became engulfed in a deadly fire. The incident ultimately caused more than 370 fatalities.
