An investigation has begun after a man fell to his death from the top of Cairo Tower. Reuters
An investigation has begun after a man fell to his death from the top of Cairo Tower. Reuters
An investigation has begun after a man fell to his death from the top of Cairo Tower. Reuters
An investigation has begun after a man fell to his death from the top of Cairo Tower. Reuters

Egypt prosecutors open investigation into death at Cairo Tower

Egypt’s prosecutor general has launched an investigation into the death of a young man who fell from Cairo Tower, one of the capital’s most prominent landmarks, on Monday night.

In a statement posted on various social media channels, prosecutors said the man, who had climbed to the top of the building with a friend, died instantly.

Witnesses told police the man had waited until his friend and others at the top of the tower were looking away before running up a metal staircase and falling from the 187-metre structure overlooking the Nile in the island district of Zamalek.

A university student fell from the same building to his death in 2019. Investigations at the time found that the man had been experiencing psychological problems.

A leaked video of the incident caused widespread outrage at the time, with many calling it insensitive.

A similar incident took place the previous year involving a young man who had been suffering from pressure because of his school exams.

The World Health Organisation in 2020 said Egypt had a relatively low suicide rate.

But it is feared the true number could be higher, with official figures misrepresenting reality because of taboos surrounding the phenomenon.

Updated: June 22, 2022, 5:40 AM