Egyptian Minister of Transport Kamel al-Wazir has replaced the head of the railway authority on Tuesday, following a series of deadly train crashes in one month.
Ashraf Raslan was removed from his position and will serve as an advisor to the minister, according to a ministry statement.
Mostafa Abdel-Latif Abul-Makarem will be the acting head of the authority for one year.
These decisions were part of 10 senior appointments al-Wazir made within the railway authority.
The changes “are in line with the next stage which requires a number of qualified (personnel) to continue the comprehensive development for the railway network,” the ministry said in its statement.
The outgoing head, Raslan, was appointed in July 2018 amid similar circumstances, as his predecessor was also removed following a deadly train derailment.
Since March 26, Egypt has seen several train accidents which left some 30 people killed and hundreds injured.
In February 2019, an unmanned locomotive rammed into a platform at Cairo’s train station, causing a fire that claimed 31 lives.
Egypt’s worst rail disaster took place in 2002, when a passenger train caught fire, killing more than 360 people.
Egyptian authorities say a passenger train accident Sunday north of Cairo has killed at least 11 people.
Railway authorities say that at least four train wagons ran off the tracks at the city of Banha in Qalyubia province.
The Health Ministry said in a statement that at least 98 others were injured. Around 60 ambulances were sent to the scene and the injured taken to nearby hospitals, the ministry added.
