VIDEO: Train derailment in northern Egypt kills three, injures dozens

A passenger train derailment in Egypt's northern Matrouh province on Saturday has left at least three people dead and 94 injured, according to the country's Health Ministry.

The accident occurred as a train traveling from the coastal city of Marsa Matrouh to Cairo came off the tracks.

The Egyptian National Railways Authority (ENR) reported that the incident took place around 3:30 p.m. local time between Fouka and Galal stations. Seven carriages of the train derailed, with two of them overturning. Rescue teams were immediately dispatched to the scene to clear the wreckage and restore service on the line.

The Health Ministry initially reported 103 injuries, but later reports from trusted sources placed the figure at 94. The ministry added that 87 of the injured were discharged from hospitals after receiving medical treatment. Hospitals across Matrouh and neighboring governorates were placed on high alert to receive casualties, with medical teams and blood supplies secured for the injured.

The Transport Ministry has ordered an investigation into the cause of the accident, vowing "a maximum penalty" for those found responsible. The Chairman of the Financial Regulatory Authority (FRA) has also directed the railway insurance pool to expedite compensation payments to the families of the deceased and the injured, with an exceptional increase in the payout for fatalities.

This latest incident comes as Egypt has been channeling billions of dollars into an extensive overhaul of its rail network, which is one of the oldest in the Middle East. Train accidents remain a persistent issue in the country, often attributed to an aging railway system and poor management.