According to the fire service, at least 32 people died in the serious train accident in Greece on Wednesday evening. Another 53 people were seriously injured and treated in hospitals. The search and rescue operation continues, with cranes and other heavy equipment rescuers attempting to lift the derailed wagons to search for survivors and casualties.
No details were available from official sources on the circumstances of the accident. According to the first information from railway employees, a passenger train departing from Athens collided head-on with a freight train coming from the opposite direction – from the northern Greek port of Thessaloniki. The passenger train was the Intercity 62, which departed from Athens at 7:22 p.m. on Tuesday evening for Thessaloniki with some 350 passengers.
“There was chaos and a hellish noise”
Greek television showed videos from the scene of the accident at Tempi in central Greece. Firefighters and rescue workers tried to find survivors in the rubble. According to a survivor, a fire broke out in the passenger train after the collision.
“There was chaos and a roar from hell,” he added on state television. “We smashed the windows with our suitcases and got out of our car in the dark,” said one young man.
We are now looking for the causes. The railway manager responsible for the route of the accident has been arrested, state television reported. The route, which connects Athens to the northern Greek port of Thessaloniki, has been modernized in recent years. The Hellenic Railways (Hellenic Train) is operated by the Italian state railway Ferrovie dello Stato Italiano (FS).
Trains still run by radio
Despite the modernization with new bridges and tunnels and two tracks along the entire 500-kilometer Athens-Thessaloniki route, there are major problems with the electrical coordination of traffic control. “Just like before, we drive from one part of the route to the other by radio. The station managers give us the green light,” Kostas Genidounias, president of the train drivers’ union, told state radio. He could not say why this happens and why no modern operating system works.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
