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 serve as an advisor to the minister, according to a ministry statement.

Mostafa Abdel-Latif Abul-Makarem would be the acting head of the authority for one year.

These decisions were part of 10 senior appointments Mr al-Wazir made within the railway authority.

His changes “were 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, Mr Raslan, was appointed in July 2018 amid similar circumstances, as his predecessor was also removed following a deadly train derailment.

Since March 26, Egypt had 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 that caused 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.

(dpa/NAN)