Egypt: crash prompts transport minister to step down

Date: 27/10/2009

The Egyptian transport minister resigned today after the government
assumed responsibility for a fatal train crash.

Minister Mohammad Mansur resigned after two trains crashed south of
Cairo on Saturday killing 18 and injuring 36 more.

The trains collided after one halted suddenly to attempt to avoid hitting a buffalo on the track ahead.

Mansur had not intended to resign following the crash, claiming the
crash was the result of "human error" and was not the responsibility of
the entire system, according to a Zawya report.

President Hosni Mubarak officially accepted Mr Mansur's resignation [ON]
Tuesday over the incident.

Historically the Egypt rail system has a less-than-perfect safety
record.