UPDATE - Train derailment kills 3, injures scores in northern Egypt

UPDATES NUMBER OF INJURIES, REVISES HEADLINE

By Hussien Elkabany, Tarek Chouiref and Rania Abu Shamala

CAIRO / ISTANBUL (AA) - Three people were killed and 103 others injured Saturday when a passenger train derailed in Egypt’s northern Matrouh province, the Health Ministry said.

The National Railways Authority said the accident occurred around 3.30 pm local time when seven carriages of a train traveling from the coastal city of Marsa Matrouh to Cairo came off the tracks, causing two to overturn.

Rescue teams were deployed to clear the wreckage and restore service on the line. The Transport Ministry ordered an investigation into the cause of the accident and vowed “a maximum penalty” for those found responsible.

The Health Ministry said injuries varied between fractures, abrasions, lacerations and bruises, adding that 87 of the wounded were discharged from hospitals after receiving medical treatment.

It said hospitals across Matrouh and neighboring provinces had been placed on high alert, with medical teams dispatched to support facilities receiving casualties.

Authorities said further updates would be provided as the investigation continues.

Egypt has channeled billions of dollars to improve the country’s rail network, among the oldest in the Middle East, in recent years.