According to the statement, the collision occurred at 8:35am local time when the train hit a loader whose driver was passing from an area not designated for crossing, leading to the derailment of the train’s carriages and tractor.

The statement said no injuries were reported among the train’s passengers, however, the loader’s driver “may have died.”

No statement by the health ministry has been issued so far regarding the casualties.

Egypt’s railway system has had a poor safety record for decades, with deadly collisions and accidents that are often blamed on poor maintenance and management becoming a frequent occurrence.

The government has been implementing ambitious multi-billion-pound projects to replace hundreds of old train carriages and modernise an obsolete signalling system.