BBC News Online: World: Middle East

Egypt's history of train disasters

As in many developing countries, rail safety is not well funded

This accident was caused by a fire, possibly started by a passenger - and not a crash.

Egypt has a comprehensive rail network. There is a high standard rail service available to tourists and Egyptians who can afford it.

However, most Egyptian rail passenger travel packed into cramped compartments on old, slow trains.

Passengers on long-haul journeys often carry large amounts of baggage, take small animals onto the trains and prepare their own meals - sometimes using portable gas cookers.

Recent Egyptian train disasters:

• November 1999: Train between Cairo and Alexandria hits truck and derails, killing 10 and injuring seven.

• April 1999: At least 10 people die and nearly 50 are injured in northern Egypt after head on collision between trains.

• October 1998: About 50 people are killed and more than 80 injured in a derailment just south of Alexandria. The train failed to stop at buffers and ran into a busy market square. Reports suggested that passengers travelling on the roof of the train may have tampered with an air pipe, disabling the brakes

• February 1997: At least 11 people die after a collision caused by human error and a signalling failure north of Aswan.

• February 1996: Train hits truck on level crossing killing 11 people 90 kilometres north of Cairo.

• December 1995: In thick fog a train rams into the back of another, 75 people die. Driver was blamed after findings that the train was travelling well above the speed limit

• May 1995: Nine die after train hits a barrier just north of Cairo and derails.

• April 1995: A train and a bus collide on a level crossing in Nile Delta, killing 49.

• December 1993: At least 12 people die and 60 are injured when two trains collide head on about 90 kilometres north of Cairo.

• February 1992: Head on train collision just outside Cairo kills 43 people.