Train hits Egyptian schoolbus, at least 49 dead

Egyptians gathered at the scene of a train crash that killed at least 47 people, most of them children, near Assiut in southern Egypt, Saturday, Nov. 17, 2012. The bus was carrying more than 50 children between 4 and 6 years old when it was hit near al-Mandara village in Manfaloot district in the province of Assiut, a security official said, adding that it appears that the railroad crossing was not closed as the train sped toward it. (AP Photo/Mamdouh Thabet) / Mamdouh Thabet

Last Updated 10:54 a.m. ET

ASSIUT, Egypt A speeding train crashed into a bus carrying children to their kindergarten in southern Egypt on Saturday, killing at least 49 kindergartners, officials said. Distraught families searched for signs of their loved ones along the tracks and angry villagers berated officials in the aftermath of the latest disaster to hit the country's railway system.

The bus was carrying more than 50 children between 4 and 6 years old when it was hit near al-Mandara village in Manfaloot district in the province of Assiut, a security official said, adding that it appears that the railroad crossing was not closed as the train sped toward it.

Accidents traced to negligence regularly left scores dead during the rule of ousted President Hosni Mubarak, who was accused of valuing loyalty over competence in many appointments of senior officials. This is the worst such tragedy since the country's first freely-elected president, Mohammed Morsi, took power this summer.

Books, school bags and children's socks were strewn along the tracks near the mangled bus. Parents of the missing wailed as they looked for signs of their children. An Associated Press reporter at the scene said many of the remains were unrecognizable.

A woman who called herself Um Ibrahim, a mother of three, was pulling her hair in distress. "My children! I didn't feed you before you left," she wailed. One witness said the train pushed the bus along the tracks for nearly a half-mile.

As one man picked up a body part he screamed: "Only God can help!"

Egyptians inspect wreckage after a speeding train crashed into a bus carrying children to their kindergarten in southern Egypt on Saturday, killing at least 47, officials said, near Assiut, in southern Egypt, Saturday, Nov. 17, 2012.

/ AP Photo/Mamdouh Thabet

Two hospital officials said between seven and 11 wounded were being treated in two different facilities, many with severed limbs.

All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media.

Crowds shouted and jeered at Prime Minister Hesham Kandil upon his arrival at Assiut's main hospital, where wounded were being treated.

Egyptian security officials said grieving families cut off roads, denying the prime minister access to the scene of the accident. An AP reporter said protesters used burning logs and cinder blocks to set up roadblocks, firing automatic rifles into the air and denouncing Kandil, President Mohammed Morsi, and the provincial governor.

The interior minister however was able to reach the site, staying about 10 minutes before leaving under shouts and jeers from the crowd.

Residents of the province are known to be heavily armed, and many hold tribal alliances.

Egypt's railway system has a poor safety record, mostly blamed on badly maintained equipment and poor management. The railway's worst disaster took place in February 2002 when a train heading to southern Egypt caught fire, killing 363 people. Media reports quoted official statistics saying that the rail and road accidents claimed more than 7,000 lives in 2010.

The state news agency MENA reported that Transport Minister Mohammed el-Meteeni offered his resignation to President Mohammed Morsi. The agency said Morsi ordered an investigation into the accident and said that those responsible would be held accountable, and that Prime Minister Hesham Kandil and the interior minister were headed to the scene of the accident.

At al-Mandara village, along the tracks, angry families and locals gathered around the scene of the traffic, shouting at officials. Some chanted: "Down with Morsi!"

Sheik Mohammed Hassan, a villager, said the government should be paying more attention to its domestic problems instead of focusing its attention to the violence in neighboring Gaza.

"The blood of people in Assiut is more important than Gaza," he said.

[Thinkbeforeyouwrite]

So very sad. Words are almost inadequate.

[carolhill814]

I realize what happened was so horrible there aren't words to express this disaster but didn't the driver of the bus hear the train coming way before this horrible accident?

No matter what country we are speaking about it is always the fault of the train not the car or bus. Of which makes no sense to me at all because the train in the tracks where they are supposed to be and car is on the road so the car crossed over the tracks not in reverse but that is the way I feel.

[rwsmith29456]

" An AP reporter said protesters used burning logs and cinder blocks to set up roadblocks, firing automatic rifles into the air and denouncing Kandil, President Mohammed Morsi, and the provincial governor." This is very productive.

[SuperShiraz]

what about Benghazi?????

[hypnotoad72]

Most people don't care about your ex-lover right now. Leave a message after the tone and you'll be phoned back as quickly as possible.

[jc666]

My thoughts are with the parents on this terrible day.

[chris76543]

We just had a similar crash in the US were 4 veterans were killed at a train crossing. Blaming someone or finding out who/what was at fault won't do anything to bring back victims, but it can help to avoid such crashes. In both cases, if the drivers of the vehicles would have stopped (before getting on the tracks) and looked both ways, ensuring there was enough room to get the vehicle completely across, both these tragedies would have been avoided. I get (a bit) mad when I have to wait for a schoolbus when crossing tracks - it must be federal law to 'stop at all railroad crossings' because it's painted on the back of the bus. This would be especially important in a country where the crossing gates may not work (in the US, it may be the switch to lower the gate was too close to the crossing).

[hypnotoad72]

To stop would have cost them profit and quota. Regulations hurt profit. Corporations are people too. There is no difference between regulation and law, save for who is able to profiteer the most.

Sorry for the half-tangent, but I do absolutely agree with your post.

[carolhill814]

I couldn't agree with you more if I tried especially when you have lifes that depend on you to watch for everything in front of you and beside you.

To me it is like crossing a road you look both ways and then look again to make sure everything is clear and then cross the road or in this instance the tracks.

That might be "old fashioned" but it works everytime.