Families of the victims of the train collision in Athens continue the painful process of identifying the bodies, either through visual inspection or DNA testing. This is the case for the couple Panos and Mirella Routsis, who are waiting for news about their son Denis (22 years old), who traveled to Athens to see friends and was returning home on the train involved in the horrific crash. At least 57 people, including many university students, were killed late last Tuesday in the deadliest train incident in "Tempi" history. A passenger train collided head-on with a freight train at high speed. Students have organized protests across the country.
The police reported that 31 bodies have currently been identified, almost all through DNA testing due to the violent nature of the collision. A police spokesperson stated, "11 families have been informed, and the painful process is ongoing. In the laboratories, identification tests are being conducted continuously, and all other work has been suspended."
Mirella Routsis, Denis's mother, continues to wait and shared a photo of her smiling son on her phone. She said, "I provided my DNA; I don't know any news at this moment. I urge anyone who survived that train to contact me if they recognized him… (to tell me) if he was sitting in his seat, or if he got up, or if he moved."
Panos Routsis, Denis's father, expressed his anger, stating, "They killed him, that’s what happened. They are all killers, every one of them."
