Middle East

3 dead in train derailment south of Egypt's capital

Associated Press
Published | Updated

In this frame grab taken from AP video, rescue workers and onlookers gather at the site of a train derailment in Al-Ayat, about 50 kilometers (31 miles) south of Cairo, Egypt, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016. The train went off the tracks at least killing five people, according to the Health Ministry. The accident came during one of the busiest travel times of the year, when millions of Egyptians leave Cairo and other big cities to head to their hometowns and villages for Eid al-Adha, a major Muslim holiday that begins on Monday. (AP Photo/Mohamed Wagdy) (The Associated Press)

In this frame grab taken from AP video, rescue workers and onlookers gather at the site of a train derailment in Al-Ayat, about 50 kilometers (31 miles) south of Cairo, Egypt, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016. The train went off the tracks at least killing five people, according to the Health Ministry. The accident came during one of the busiest travel times of the year, when millions of Egyptians leave Cairo and other big cities to head to their hometowns and villages for Eid al-Adha, a major Muslim holiday that begins on Monday. (AP Photo/Mohamed Wagdy) (The Associated Press)

In this frame grab taken from AP video, rescue workers and onlookers gather at the site of a train derailment in Al-Ayat, about 50 kilometers (31 miles) south of Cairo, Egypt, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016. The train went off the tracks at least killing five people, according to the Health Ministry. The accident came during one of the busiest travel times of the year, when millions of Egyptians leave Cairo and other big cities to head to their hometowns and villages for Eid al-Adha, a major Muslim holiday that begins on Monday. (AP Photo/Mohamed Wagdy) (The Associated Press)

The head of Egypt's ambulance service says three people have been killed in a train derailment just south of the capital, Cairo.

Ahmed al-Ansari says 26 people were injured in Wednesday's accident in the al-Ayat area.

Railway officials say the first three cars of the train, which was traveling to the southern city of Aswan, went off the tracks.

The accident led to a halt in train services from Cairo to provinces south of the capital.

It comes during one of the busiest travel times of the year, when millions head to their home towns and villages to spend Eid al-Adha, a major Muslim holiday that begins on Monday.