A passenger train and a freight train collided overnight, resulting in at least 36 deaths and 85 injuries in Northern Greece. The crash happened near Tempe Valley shortly before midnight.
The passenger train was traveling from Athens to Thessaloniki when it collided with the cargo train.
At least 66 of the injured are still hospitalized, with six in intensive care.
The evacuation was challenging, with damage to the train cars being so severe that crane trucks were required for vehicle extraction.
The cause of the incident is under investigation, according to the Greek transport and infrastructure minister.
“Our duty now is to treat the wounded and be by their side. From there, one thing I can guarantee: we will find out the causes of this tragedy and do everything in our power to make sure it never happens again,” said Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in a tweet.
Υποχρέωσή μας τώρα είναι να περιθάλψουμε τους τραυματίες και να είμαστε δίπλα τους. Από εκεί και πέρα, ένα πράγμα μπορώ να εγγυηθώ: θα μάθουμε τα αίτια αυτής της τραγωδίας και θα κάνουμε ό,τι περνάει από το χέρι μας για να μην ξανασυμβεί ποτέ κάτι τέτοιο.
— Prime Minister GR (@PrimeministerGR) March 1, 2023
The U.S. Embassy in Athens reported no American victims, while the Greek president’s office cut short a visit to Moldova to visit the crash site.
The country announced three days of national mourning. Footage showed flames surrounding the derailed train cars, with workers using cranes to lift the overturned passenger cars and remove victims.
