Rescue workers continue to search through the rubble today, Saturday, at the site of a train collision in Greece, but the search operation is expected to conclude later today. The incident on Tuesday resulted in the deaths of at least 57 people and injuries to dozens, as a passenger train carrying over 350 people collided with a freight train on the same tracks. Police reported that the bodies of 54 out of 56 people whose relatives reported them missing have been identified.
The station master in the city of Larissa was arrested in connection with the disaster, which the government has attributed to human error. However, railway workers stated that the accident was inevitable due to deficiencies in safety systems and a lack of staff. The station master is scheduled to appear before a prosecutor today, Saturday, to respond to criminal charges including obstructing transportation and endangering lives.
The tragedy, which occurred in central Greece, has sparked widespread anger and protests across the country, as well as heightened scrutiny over safety standards in the railway system. Railway workers have been on a 24-hour strike since Wednesday and extended their labor strike for an additional 48 hours yesterday, Friday, demanding a clear timeline from the government for implementing safety protocols.
The train traveling from Athens to the city of Thessaloniki in northern Greece was crowded with students returning from a long holiday. Police clashed with protesters yesterday, Friday, after around a thousand students organized a march in Athens and blocked a road in front of parliament for a moment of silence. Students also protested in Larissa and Thessaloniki.
