The train collision in Egypt's southern province of Sohag has resulted in the deaths of 19 individuals, while the number of those injured has risen to 185, Health Minister Hala Zayed said on Saturday.
Remarks on the death toll came after the ministry previously said that the Friday incident killed 32 people and injured 165 others. According to the country's health chief, a calculation error was caused by the fact that several dozen people were in a "deep unconscious state, and they were confused with the dead."
"After verification by the health ministry, the prosecutor general's office, as well as requests to all hospitals ... [it was found that] the number of victims has reached 185 people, and 19 people have died," Zayed told a press conference.
An investigation into the incident is underway by the prosecutor general's office, while the technical committee is specifying the event circumstances. A government delegation consisting of ministers of health, transport, local development and other officials under the lead of the country's prime minister was dispatched to Sohag on the president's orders.
According to the Egyptian National Railways, the deadly train collision occurred after a passenger train suddenly stopped, as unidentified individuals pulled emergency cords. As a result, two carriages of the Luxor-Alexandria train derailed, as well as the locomotive and a carriage of the Aswan-Cairo train. Operations are underway to restore traffic on a section of the railway.
A number of world leaders, including Russia, China, Turkey and the UAE, have already extended their condolences to Cairo over the deadly train crash. (/Sputnik)
( With inputs from ANI )
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