Everything points to the fact that the head-on train collision in Greece, in which at least 43 people died, was the result of a “tragic human error”. This is what the country’s Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, says.
The station chief responsible for the signaling of the city of Larissa was arrested on suspicion of negligence. Many Greek media say the suspect will confess his guilt in the meantime. Public broadcaster ERT said it got the news from police sources. The boss will be introduced tomorrow.
Transport Minister Karamanlis resigned after the accident. A freight train and a passenger train were involved in the accident. They drove for miles on the same route before colliding.
The death toll has now risen to 43, but is expected to continue to rise. Many families are unsure of the fate of their loved ones. The victims are difficult to identify, as so many corpses have been burned.
Immediately after the collision, the trains in front caught fire. The temperature rose to 1200 degrees, according to the fire department. Due to the resulting bent steel, rescuers have great difficulty reaching the wreckage.
There are 57 injured in the hospital, 6 of whom are in intensive care. Among the relatively large number of young victims.
The Greek Red Cross opened an emergency blood bank and called for donations via Twitter. There was a great response:
Since the accident, it has been discussed in Greece whether the accident can be prevented or not. A protest in Athens got out of control tonight.
Demonstrators threw stones at the headquarters of the private railway company, Hellenic Train, which was involved in the incident. According to the Greek newspaper Kathimerini, police used tear gas and stun grenades to disperse the crowd.
The railway line between Athens and Thessaloniki has been operated by the Italian State Railways since 2017. That year, he took over the ailing Greek company Hellenic Train.
Since then, major changes have been made to the Greek train network, which is in serious need of modernisation. But railway workers tell Greek media that there are still many problems with the electronic coordination of traffic control.
The Prime Minister has ordered an independent investigation into the tragedy.
Source: NOS
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
