Rescue Efforts Underway
Rescuers are searching for more survivors as derailed carriages, badly damaged with broken windows and thick plumes of smoke, could be seen at the site. Of the 85 injured, 66 were hospitalized, and six are in intensive care. Around 250 passengers out of 350 were safely evacuated to Thessaloniki on buses. The government's priority is to treat the injured, search for missing people in the debris, and offer psychological support to the victims' relatives.
Eyewitness Accounts of the Tragedy
Stergios Minenis, a 28-year-old passenger who jumped to safety from the wreckage, described the crash as "nightmarish," with a loud bang followed by fire. Another passenger, Angelos Tsiamouras, told ERT it was like an earthquake. One passenger escaped after breaking the train window with his suitcase.
Investigation Underway
A prosecutor and police are investigating the cause of the accident. The station master in Larissa was temporarily detained, and witnesses have been summoned for questioning. Hellenic Train expressed "its deep sorrow for the tragic accident."
Infrastructure Challenges in Greece's Railways
Greece's aging railway system needs modernization, with many trains traveling on single tracks and signaling and automatic control systems still to be installed in many areas. In 2017, Greece sold railway operator TRAINOSE to Italy's Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane as part of its international bailout program, expecting hundreds of millions of euros to be invested in rail infrastructure in the coming years.
