Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi urged on Saturday completing the modernisation of the railway system as the only way to end similar accidents.

El-Sisi's statement came a day after at least 19 people were killed in a train collision in Sohag.

Two trains collided in Upper Egypt’s Sohag on Friday causing at least 185 injuries. The transport ministry said unknown passengers activated the emergency brake causing the train to stop and a rear-end collision to occur.

The president vowed “deterrent punishment” of culprits shortly after the incident.

In a meeting with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and a number of ministers, El-Sisi urged striking a balance between the state’s plan to implement a comprehensive modernisation strategy for the railway system and the resumption of train operations, the presidency said in a statement.

This is to ensure enhancing the safety and security standards for passengers, the statement cited El-Sisi as saying.

Meanwhile, El-Sisi ordered securing the utmost care for the injured people in the collision and paying compensation to the injured and families of the deceased.

Health Minister Hala Zayed on Saturday altered the number of deaths resulting from the train collision from 32 to at least 19, saying some of the victims were mistakenly reported dead after they had gone into a coma.