afrol News, 17 July - Egypt's train crash has claimed the lives of at least 40 people as well as injuring equal number.

The Wednesday incident happened after a truck slammed into vehicles, including a bus waiting at the crossing and pushed them on the train's track in the East of the Mediterranean city of Marsa Matruh. Within seconds, the fast moving train jammed into the vehicles.

The victims have been rushed to the hospital where some have succumbed to severe injuries.

Transport disasters have been common in the North African country and most of them were blamed on "negligence and poor maintenance." However, the latest one has been linked to brakes failure of the truck.

Two years ago, 58 people were killed and several dozens others injured when a train crashed in the North of the capital Cairo. Egypt's worst train incident took place in 2002 when 360 people got killed after fire ripped through seven carriages of an overcrowded commercial train.

Over the years, Egypt has topped the world in the number of road accidents, with the Ministry of Transport putting the annual deadly figure at 6,000.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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