At least seven people died in a train collision near the Egyptian city of Giza, and more than 100 were injured.
The country's rail authority said two trains traveling south from Giza and Cairo collided, causing several carriages to derail and fall into a ravine.
Footage from the scene showed people inspecting the overturned carriages for injured passengers, as a massive emergency response was launched.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi said he had ordered state authorities to "investigate the circumstances of the accident and hold accountable anyone found guilty of negligence."
Prosecutors have warned that the death toll could rise.
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The government said hospitals in the region had been placed on “heightened alert” in the face of a massive influx of patients.
Egyptian Health Minister Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar said people were being treated for fractures and head injuries.
The Egyptian Red Crescent said it was providing aid and psychological support to victims and their families at the scene.
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The driver of one of the trains was among the victims of the accident, the ministry confirmed.
The first train involved in the collision was traveling from Giza to Fayoum, south of Cairo, when it collided with the rear of another train heading south from Cairo to Aswan, which was stationary on the tracks.
Images taken at the scene show that some carriages overturned, and the body of at least one carriage appears to have broken in two.
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Rail traffic between Giza and Upper Egypt was interrupted while cranes were dispatched to free the damaged trains. The railway company did not specify the expected duration of the operations.
The collision occurred in the area between Kafr Ammar and Al-Raqqa stations in Al-Ayyat, not far from where Egypt's deadliest railway tragedy occurred in February 2002, when a fire engulfed a passenger train traveling from Cairo to Luxor.
In this incident, more than 370 people were officially declared dead, although some estimates put the toll considerably higher.
Two other accidents in the region in 2009 caused dozens more deaths.
On Sunday, in Egypt, calls were heard for the resignation of the Minister of Transport following the latest deadly train disaster.
Foreign leaders and dignitaries offered their condolences and expressed support for the victims.
Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry expressed "solidarity" with Egypt and wished those injured a speedy recovery.
Turkey's ambassador to Egypt wrote on X that he offered his "sincere condolences and deep sympathy" to the victims, their families and the Egyptian people.
We used AI to help translate this article, originally written in English. A BBC journalist checked the translation before publication. Learn more about how we use AI.
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