April 20 2021 Egyptian prosecutors on Tuesday approved the arrest of four people responsible for a train derailment that occurred a few days ago to conduct further investigations into the accident.
Four people were arrested, along with the train driver and his assistant, a maintenance worker and an engineer, according to Egypt’s Pyramid Online website. Preliminary investigation results show that speeding, high temperature caused by rail deformation is the main cause of the accident.
Egypt’s Ministry of Transport said in a statement the same day, Transport Minister Kamal Wazir removed the chairman of the National Railway Administration Ashraf Raslan, while the bureau’s nine officials to adjust the post. Wazir said in a statement that the adjustment was due to the need for more competent egyptian managers to upgrade the rail system and provide better services to passengers.
On April 18, at least 11 people were killed and 98 injured when a passenger train traveling from the Egyptian capital Cairo to the northern city of Mansoura derailed.
Egypt has a high incidence of railway accidents due to old railway infrastructure and poor management. At least 19 people were killed and 200 injured when two passenger trains collided in Egypt’s southern province of Sohaj on March 26.
