Egypt’s Transport Minister admits to mistakes after deadly train crash
According to The National, Egypt's Transport Minister Lt Gen Kamel El Wazir appeared before parliament's transport committee in a six-hour session following Sunday's deadly collision in El Ayyat, which killed seven people and injured 125. He acknowledged failings in the railway network and stated that passenger safety was his responsibility. Prosecutors said technical checks showed the driver of one train had disabled the automatic control system (ATC) before crashing into a stationary Cairo-Aswan service. Lt Gen El Wazir told legislators, 'We acknowledge that there are mistakes, and our aim is to prevent accidents or reduce them.' He also made a candid admission that the government is not good at management and that the private sector has the tools to succeed. The prosecutor general has ordered an investigation into safety systems, and station employees including a controller and the driver's assistant have been detained. While some lawmakers called for his resignation, government loyalists defended him.