Chinese president, premier offer condolences over Egypt's train collision

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‍Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday expressed condolences to his Egyptian counterpart, Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, over a deadly train collision that killed 49 in the North African nation.

Xi, on behalf of the Chinese government and the people, as well as in his own name, mourn the victims, and extended his sincere condolences to the injured and the families of those killed in the accident.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang also sent a message of condolences to his Egyptian counterpart, Sherif Ismail, over the deadly train collision in the northern Egyptian city of Alexandria.

Egyptians search for survivors at the site of a crash where two trains collided near the Khorshid station in Egypt's coastal city of Alexandria, Egypt August 11, 2017. /Reuters Photo

In the message, Li extended his deep condolences to the innocent victims and sincere sympathy to Ismail, the injured and the families of the dead.

An Alexandria-bound train coming from Cairo on Friday afternoon crashed into the rear of another train on its way from Port Said Mediterranean city to Alexandria, killing at least 49 people and injuring more than 100 others.

In the wake of Friday's tragic two-train collision, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi urged on Saturday the government to accelerate the development of the country's railway network to avoid deadly train crashes, the presidential spokesman said in a statement.

People travel on an overcrowded train in Cairo, Egypt August 12, 2017. /Reuters Photo

Sisi also ordered expansion of electric signaling systems to reduce reliance on human elements, limit similar accidents and step up measures for the passengers' safety.

Earlier on Saturday, Egypt's top prosecutor assigned a military engineering body to perform an on-the-spot technical railway check to examine the soundness of the railroad, the traffic light signals and semaphores and to issue a report on Friday's tragic accident.

According to the Transportation Ministry of Egypt, the two drivers of the twin trains have been held for questioning and four railway officials suspended over the tragedy.

Railway accidents have killed and wounded hundreds in Egypt over the past few years, but the deadliest took place in 2002 when 350 passengers were killed after a fire broke out in a train from Upper Egypt.

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency