Greek rail workers are taking industrial action in the aftermath of last week’s rail crash that left at least 57 dead. At least 50 others remain hospitalised.
Late last Tuesday night, on Greece’s busiest line, a freight train collided head on with a passenger train carrying 350 people. Many of those on board were students in their twenties returning to Thessaloniki after Lent celebrations in Athens. The search for victims has been challenging. The front carriages were gutted by fires that reached 1,300C (2,370F), according to a fire service spokesperson.
Fire and violence in #Athens as #protesters clash with riot #Police over rail disaster#Greek #Police were pelted with petrol bombs during clashes with protesters as anger continues to swell over a #train crash which left 57 people dead.#Greece #Athens pic.twitter.com/KgxmMTg3Qg
— CHAUDHRY IMRAN ™💎 (@chimran55) March 5, 2023
Larissa’s 59-year-old station master, described as “devastated” by his lawyer, is due to appear in court on Thursday to face charges of manslaughter by negligence. “Since the first moment, he has assumed responsibility proportionate to him,” the lawyer said.
But it is clear that growing numbers place a greater proportion of blame elsewhere. While Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis initially cited tragic “human error”, he has since had to change his position, saying “We can’t, won’t and shouldn’t hide behind human error.”
In the country’s deadliest rail crash in recent history, a #Greek passenger #train collided head-on with a cargo train late Tuesday, throwing entire carriages off the tracks and #killing at least 36 people, many of them students. pic.twitter.com/SWh745LrSI
— Ahlul Haqq (@AhlulHaqqN) March 1, 2023
Meanwhile Transport Minister Kostas Karamanlis has resigned over the crash, shouldering the responsibility for “longstanding failures” in an outdated network. A government spokesperson cited rail projects that have faced “chronic delays” due to long-term issues in the public sector. Zoe Rapti, Greece’s deputy Health Minister of Health appeared to point towards the country’s economic woes over the last decade.
🚨 Greeks set to gather to mourn rail crash dead pic.twitter.com/WaERFvwq4E
— MegaNews Updates (@MegaNewsUpdates) March 5, 2023
“Of course, things should have been done during these years but, as you remember, Greece faced a big economic crisis for more than 10 years, which means that many things went back,” she told the BBC, promising a “wide investigation” would take place, which she promised would provide answers.
With public anger rising, there were riots on Wednesday outside Hellenic Train headquarters in Athens. Hellenic Trains are responsible for maintaining Greece’s railways. Police used tear gas against demonstrators. One said he was protesting because the disaster had been long coming.
“The rail network looked problematic, with worn down, badly paid staff,” Nikos Savva, a medical student from Cyprus, told AFP news agency, suggesting the station master was a scapegoat for “for a whole ailing system”.
By Thursday came the first day of rail strikes, starting at 6am local time and affecting local and national services.
Prime Minister Mitsotakis faces spring elections. He has said he will turn to the EU for help in overhauling the Greek rail system and has vowed to put in place an independent expert committee will to investigate the accident.
