Late on Tuesday night, two trains collided close to the Greek city of Larissa, resulting in at least 36 fatalities and 85 injuries. According to a fire officer, six of the injured are receiving intensive care.
At about midnight, a high-speed collision between an intercity passenger train from Athens to the northern city of Thessaloniki and a cargo train caused the accident. The collision occurred at Tempe, about 235 kilometres north of Athens, and resulted in multiple train cars derailing and at least three of them catching fire.
Following the collision, which has been compared to an "earthquake," a desperate search and rescue operation is underway. According to reports, the collision was Greece's deadliest and most destructive rail accident in decades.
A passenger who jumped to safety from the wreckage, Stergios Minenis, 28, stated that they were rolling over in the waggon until landing on their sides, at which point there was panic. Cables were immediately on fire, spreading quickly, and as they were turned over "we were being burned."
The fire department reported that the fires had been put out and that "some passengers" had been removed from the collision site unconscious. However, the search for survivors continued into the early hours of Wednesday. 350 passengers, according to local media, boarded the passenger train as it left Athens at around 7:30 p.m. local time.
An investigation is being conducted, according to Greek government spokesperson Yannis Oikonomou, into why two trains travelling in different directions were on the same track.
Along with the incident being an "unspeakable tragedy," he stated that the treatment of the injured, finding the missing among the wreckage, and providing psychologists with the family members of the victims with emotional assistance are the top priorities.
The passenger train was travelling on the left-hand track, which is only designated for trains going south to Athens. Authorities want to know why the train, which was headed north to Thessaloniki, was doing so.
Kostas Genidounias, the president of the nation's association of train drivers, asserted that the electronic devices that alert drivers to impending threats have been inoperable for years.
“The unthinkable has happened. The two trains were found on the same track”.
At 15 locations between Athens and Thessaloniki, station managers grant authorization for trains to go to the following station, according to the news source Greek Reporter.
He claimed that the union had frequently voiced complaints about how poorly functioning the computerised safety systems were. He was quoted by the Greek Reporter as adding, "We constantly protest."
A railway official named Giannis Ditsas claimed that the safety mechanisms utilised by the Greek railway network are antiquated. He said that there was no technological gadget to warn drivers of the possibility of collision.
Only the station master has the "ability to see the movement of trains electronically", he continued. He would have warned the train drivers and "ordered the trains to stop" if he had recognised the threat.
Three days of national mourning have been proclaimed in Greece and will begin today. All national flags will be flown at half-staff. In preparation for the general election, which is anticipated to take place in April, political parties have put their campaigns on hold.
The television station SKAI broadcast images of derailed carriages that were severely damaged, had smashed windows, and were spewing heavy plumes of smoke. In carriages, rescue personnel were spotted searching for trapped passengers while carrying torches.
More than ten individuals are still missing, according to local media, as Greece spends three days of national mourning. According to officials, the army was asked for assistance.
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