Qalyoub rail crash

The Qalyoub rail crash occurred at Qalyoub north of Cairo in Egypt on 21 August 2006, when two commuter trains collided during the morning rush hour, killing 58 people and injuring over 140.

Overview

A passenger train from Mansoura passed a red signal and crashed into a stationary train that had come from Benha. Four passenger cars derailed in the accident, which closed the line in the country's Nile Delta region. The train was estimated as travelling at more than convert|50|mph|km/h|abbr=on at the time of the collision. [cite news| url=http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/08/21/egypt.traincrash/index.html| title=Egyptian train crash kills 57| work=CNN| date=2006-08-21| accessdate=2006-08-21| ] The driver of the Mansoura service was amongst the dead.

Aftermath

In the wake of the accident, Egyptian National Railways director Hanafi Abdel Qawi was dismissed [cite news| work=BBC News| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5273894.stm| title=Egypt rail boss fired after crash| date=2006-08-22| accessdate=2006-08-22| ] and 14 railway officials were later charged with gross negligence and jailed. [ [http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/11/04/africa/ME-GEN-Egypt-Train-Accident.php Egyptian court jails 14 railway officials after deadly train accident - International Herald Tribune ] ] The prosecutor's office said the officials ignored repairing some technical equipment that control train signals.

Egypt has a poor safety record on its railways and there are several fatal accidents each year, usually blamed on inadequately maintained equipment.fact|date=August 2008

Families of each victim who died in the accident were awarded compensation of £E5,000 (about $US870). Passengers who were injured will get £E1,000.

Proposed upgrade

Egypt is proposing to implement an upgrade project including some upgrade of its signalling. [ [http://railwaysafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=450&Itemid=35 Railways Africa - UPGRADE PLANS APPROVED] ]

ee also

* List of rail accidents

References