Train derailment in Matrouh, Egypt leaves several dead and injured

A passenger train derailed Saturday in western Egypt's Matrouh province, killing at least three people and injuring dozens, officials said, in the latest in a string of railway accidents that have raised fresh concerns about the country’s aging rail network. The incident occurred in the afternoon between Fouka and Galal stations in a sparsely populated desert area, authorities said.

Railway officials said seven carriages of the train left the tracks and two overturned. Accounts differed on the train’s route. The national railway authority said the service was traveling to Cairo from the western Mediterranean province of Matrouh, while local officials identified the service as train No. 1935 running from Marsa Matrouh to Alexandria. Both agencies said an investigation has been opened to determine the cause.

Casualty figures also varied across official statements. The Health Ministry released a statement saying three people were killed and 94 were injured and that 30 ambulances were dispatched to transfer the wounded to hospitals. Local Matrouh health authorities reported a higher tally of 103 injuries, adding that more than 50 ambulances were mobilized. By evening, Matrouh...