Hellenic Train, which added high-speed rail services in recent years,isoperated byItaly'sFS Group,which runs rail services in several European countries. Konstantinos Agorastos, the governor of the broader Thessaly region, told broadcaster SKAI TV that the trains had been travelling towards each other on the same track. (AP) The incident took place in Tempe, near the north of Athens. We heard a big bang, [it was] 10 nightmarish seconds, said Stergios Minenis, a 28-year-old passenger who jumped to safety from the wreckage. Hospital officials in the nearby city of Larissa said at least 25 people had serious injuries. Smokes were seen from where the accident took place. Two rail officials were being questioned by police but had not been detained. Five hours later, we are finding bodies.". Rail operator Hellenic Train reported about 350 people had been on the passenger train, which left Athens at 7.22pm (19:22 GMT). Greece train crash: Dozens killed in head-on rail collision north of Athens, A crane, firefighters and rescuers operate after a collision in Tempe near Larissa city, Greece. My hair is burning, he told ERT, without giving his name. Rescue workers with high-powered torches were searching through the wreckage for trapped passengers. TEMPE, Greece -- A passenger train carrying hundreds of people, including many university students returning home from holiday, collided at high speed with an oncoming freight train in a fiery wreck in northern Greece, killing 32 and injuring at least 85, officials said Wednesday. "The trains were completely destroyed, both passenger and freight trains.". Emergency services from nearby towns were deployed to help with rescue efforts. "Based on these facts, and the findings from the scene of the tragedy, the number is expected to be greater" than the current toll of 36. A passenger train collided with an oncoming freight train in northern Greece early Wednesday morning. "We are pulling out people alive, injured there are dead. He added that the first car caught fire and that he used a bag to break the window of his car, the fourth, and escape. "It's tragic. A passenger train collided with an oncoming freight train in northern Greece early on Wednesday, killing multiple people and injuring scores of others. "The evacuation process is ongoing and is being carried out under very difficult conditions due to the severity of the collision between the two trains," fire brigade spokesperson Vassilis Vathrakogiannis told a news conference. A passenger train collided with a freight train in Greece just before midnight on Feb. 28, killing 29 and injuring at least 85 people, authorities say. AFP cited Greek emergency services as saying roughly 150 firefighters and 40 ambulances had responded. Eight rail employees were among those killed in the crash, including the two operators of the freight train and the two operators of the passenger train, according to Greek Railroad Workers Union President Yannis Nitsas. ", The regional governor added: "The front section of the train was smashed we're getting cranes to come in and special lifting equipment to clear the debris and lift the rail cars. Associated Press Greeces firefighting service said some 66 people were hospitalized, including six in intensive care. Karamanlis had pledged to investigate the cause of the incident. Now it's set for an overhaul. "They were looking around, searching; they didn't know where they were.". The government declared three days of national mourning from Wednesday, while flags flew at half-staff outside all European Commission buildings in Brussels. Greece had the highest overall railway fatality rate among 29 countries studied in a 2022 safety report by the European Union Agency for Railways, as well as the seventh-highest passenger fatality rate. Costas Agorastos, the regional governor of the Thessaly area, told Greece's Skai Television the two trains collided head on at high speed. A passenger train collided with an oncoming freight train in northern Greece early Wednesday, killing at least 29 people and injuring some 85, Fire Service officials said. Rescuers wearing head lamps worked in thick smoke, pulling pieces of mangled metal from the cars to search for trapped people. A train carrying hundreds of passengers collided with an oncoming freight train in northern Greece, killing and injuring dozens passengers. Tuesday's was Greece's worst rail crash since 1968, when 34 people were killed in a crash in the southern Peloponnese region. This story will be updated as more information develops. "This is an indescribable tragedy," said government spokesman Giannis Oikonomou. The collision was like a huge earthquake.". Kasulis Cho reported from Seoul, Francis from London and Parker from Washington. The trains crashed just before the Vale of Tempe, a gorge that separates the regions of Thessaly and Macedonia. Two rail officials were being questioned by police but had not been detained as of Wednesday morning. The cause remains unknown. Hellenic Train is operated by Italys FS Group, which runs rail services in several European countries. A passenger train carrying hundreds of people, including many university students returning home from holiday, collided at high speed with an oncoming freight train in a fiery wreck in northern Greece Tuesday night, killing at least 36 people and injuring some 85, officials said Wednesday. Watch Live: Closing arguments begin in double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh, Intel review says "very unlikely" foreign adversary behind "Havana Syndrome", Ex-Georgia star Jalen Carter was racing in deadly crash, arrest warrants allege, Watch Live: Garland testifies amid ongoing special counsel investigations, Fiery train crash in Greece kills dozens, many of them students. Footage from the crash site showed flames surrounding the derailed train cars, as well as the swirling lights of firetrucks and ambulances nearby. "This is a terrible night," Mr Agorastos had earlier told state-run television. Transport Minister Kostas Karamanlis resigned in the wake of the crash, saying he felt it was his "duty" to step down "as a basic indication of respect for the memory of the people who died so unfairly.". Unfortunately, our efforts have not been sufficient to prevent such a bad incident. Paphitis reported from Athens, Greece. Rescuers wearing head lamps worked in thick smoke, pulling pieces of mangled metal from the cars to search for trapped people. We are living through a tragedy. A passenger train collided with an oncoming freight train, causing a fiery crash on Wednesday in northern Greece. The trains were completely destroyed, both passenger and freight trains.. We're getting cranes to come in and special lifting equipment clear the debris and lift the rail cars. They were travelling at great speed and one (driver) didnt know the other was coming, he added. "Our carriage didn't derail, but the ones in front did and were smashed," he said, visibly shaken. Gogakos said the crash felt like an explosion, and some smoke entered the carriage. The first four carriages of the passenger train were derailed in the crash, with the first two carriages, which caught fire, almost completely destroyed, Agorastos said. An emergency government meeting was organised after the crash and Greek health minister Thanos Plevris went to the scene. Workers also were seen on live broadcasts moving a body on a stretcher into an ambulance. This is his story of survival. The stationmaster in the city of Larissa was arrested, Greek police said Wednesday. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. This is a terrible tragedy that is hard to comprehend, said Deputy Health Minister Mina Gaga. Pic: AP, Aerials in daylight show extent of train crash in Greece. We will help them as much as we can, he said. Some of the injured were taken to hospitals in Larissa, and at least 150 firefighters and dozens of emergency vehicles were dispatched to the crash site. Visiting the accident scene, Prime Minister Mitsotakis said the government must help the injured recover and identify the dead. "I feel so sorry for the parents of these kids.". There's debris flung all around the crash site.". March 1, 2023 11.14am. Several of the dead are believed to have been found in the restaurant car near the front of the passenger train. The fire that raged in the train crash reached temperatures of 1300 degrees Celsius (2372 degrees Fahrenheit), the fire department said in a news release, and the heat from the fire caused delays in rescue and removal operations. One passenger told state broadcaster ERT: "There was fire next to us. The Greek army has been called in to assist in the rescue effort. On Wednesday, rescuers turned to cranes and other heavy machinery to start moving large pieces of the trains, revealing more bodies and dismembered remains. "We are living through a tragedy. Source: Getty / Anadolu Agency, Murat whistled until he was found under rubble in Trkiye. "I can guarantee one thing: We will find out the causes of this tragedy and we will do all that's in our power so that something like this never happens again," Mitsotakis said. At least two train cars appeared to be tipped sideways near the track, while one was severely dented, with gaping windows, as firefighters worked to extricate passengers. "They were looking around, searching; they didn't know where they were.". Multiple cars derailed and at least three burst into flames after the collision, which took place just before midnight near the Vale of Tempe, a gorge that separates the regions of Thessaly and Macedonia. TEMPE, Greece (AP) A head-on collision between a passenger train and a freight train flattened carriages, killed at least 36 people and injured some 85, Greek officials said Wednesday. - Hospital units used to treat burn victims had been alerted in the area and dozens of ambulances were involved in the rescue effort. Another woman, who was waiting there, said her child was not picking up the phone. ATHENS A passenger train and a freight train collided late Tuesday in central Greece, killing at least 36 people and leading to the arrest of a station master and the resignation of a government minister. Our carriage didnt derail, but the ones in front did and were smashed, he said, visibly shaken. A passenger train collided with an oncoming freight train in northern Greece early Wednesday morning. The government declared three days of national mourning, with flags flying at half-mast in a tribute to the victims of the crash. Officials said the army had been contacted to assist. Rail operator Hellenic Train expressed "its deep sorrow for the tragic accident" and said the passenger train had about 350 people on board. The front section of the train was smashed. Many of those aboard the passenger train were students returning from Greece's raucous Carnival, officials said. Temperatures reached 1,300 degrees Celsius (2,372 Fahrenheit), which makes it even more difficult to identify the people who were in it, fire service spokesperson Vassilis Varthakoyiannis said. Later in the year, a second accident resulted in ten injuries, with two of them ultimately dying. (AP) The incident took place in Tempe, near the north of Athens. Rescue crews illuminated the scene with floodlights before dawn on Wednesday as they searched frantically through the twisted, smoking wreckage for survivors. On Wednesday, the government declared three days of national mourning. I feel so sorry for the parents of these kids.. After sunrise, rescuers turned to heavy machinery to start moving large pieces of the trains. Why did Twitter suspend Sen. Mike Lees personal account? Police took their names as they arrived, in an effort to track anyone who might be missing. Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem. A police statement identified the person arrestedonly as a 59-year-old man. A teenage survivor who did not give his name to reporters said that just before the crash he felt a strong braking and saw sparks then there was a sudden stop. The collision between a freight train and an oncoming passenger train occurred near Tempe early on Wednesday. Local media said the train left Athens around 7.30 pm local time on Tuesday. After sunrise, they turned to heavy machinery that had been brought in to start moving large pieces of the trains. Karamanlis said the Greek railway system was not up to 21st-century standards when he took office. Thessaly regional governor Konstantinos Agorastos saidthe two trains hurtled towards each other on the same track. On Wednesday, the government declared three days of national mourning. Railway safety in Greece has come under scrutiny in recent years, and the accident late Tuesday is the countrys deadliest, according to local media. "This is a terrible tragedy that is hard to comprehend," said Deputy Health Minister Mina Gaga. "We are living through a tragedy. We share the pain of those who lost loved ones, but we know their pain is so great that comforting words can offer no relief.. Eight rail employees were among those killed in the crash, including the two drivers of the freight train and the two drivers of the passenger train, according to Greek Railroad Workers Union President Yannis Nitsas. By Sunita Patel-Carstairs and Sharon Marris, news reporters, Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player. A passenger train travelling from Athens to the northern city of Thessaloniki collided with a freight train outside Larissa just before midnight. The crash came after a holiday weekend, in which people across the country don colorful clothing, beat drums and parade through villages before the beginning of Lent. The death toll was expected to rise further, a fire brigade official said. Derailed carriages, badly damaged with broken windows and thick plumes of smoke, could be seen on the site. ", "It was a nightmare. Eight rail employees were among those killed, including the two drivers of the freight train and the two drivers of the passenger train, according to Greek Railroad Workers Union president Yannis Nitsas. The festivities had been canceled the previous three years because of the coronavirus pandemic. "We were turning over in the wagon until we fell on our sides then there was panic, cables (everywhere) the fire was immediate, as we were turning over we were being burned.". When search suggestions are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Meanwhile, Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou said she was cutting short a visit to Moldova to return to Greece. There was panic in the carriage, you couldn't see around you because of the smoke.". A drone video shows plumes of smoke rising from derailed cars after two trains collided near the city of Larissa in northern Greece on March 1. Dear President Biden: War in Ukraine isnt just about Ukraine, There can be no genuine budget discipline without entitlement reform, Two birds, one stone: 1619 Project vindicates capitalism. A passenger train collided with an oncoming freight train causing a fiery crash on Wednesday in northern Greece. Ambulances from several nearby towns were called in to take injured passengers to hospitals, while rescue workers continued to work in the thick smoke. We are facing an unimaginable tragedy, Sakellaropoulou said in a statement posted to her offices website. "The 59-year-old station master was arrested," AFP quoted a local police spokesperson as saying, adding that charges would be announced later in the day, but providing no information on what those charges might be. Kostas Karamanlis, Greeces transport minister, resigned after visiting the site of the crash, sayinghe felt it was his duty to step down. Ive never seen anything like this in my entire life. Fire Service Officials said 32 people were killed and at least 85 were injured. Our carriage didnt derail, but the ones in front did and were smashed, he said, visibly shaken. Web19th century 1830s. Police took their names as they arrived, in an effort to track anyone who may be missing. Our country is experiencing an unspeakable tragedy, and we are all facing the huge question of why, he told journalists there, according to Kathimerini. "It was like an earthquake," Angelos Tsiamouras, another passenger, told state broadcaster ERT. The fire brigade said it was informed of the accident shortly before midnight. Police took their names as they arrived, in an effort to track anyone who may be missing. Television footage showed derailed carriages with cargo containers flipped over and crash debris strewn across a nearby road. Box 500 Station A Toronto, ON Canada, M5W 1E6. There's debris flung all around the crash site.". This service may include material from Agence France-Presse (AFP), APTN, Reuters, AAP, CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced. A passenger train travelling from Athens to the northern city of Thessaloniki collided with a freight train outside Larissa just before midnight. A train carrying 350 passengers was traveling north from Athens to Thessaloniki when it ran headlong into a freight train traveling from Thessaloniki near the city of Larissa, CNN reported. Hospital officials in the nearby city of Larissa said at least 25 of those hurt had serious injuries. At least 66 of those injured were still hospitalized, six of them in intensive care, as of 10 a.m. local time. Please try again later. My head hit the roof of the carriage with the jolt," Stefanos Gogakos, who was in a rear car, told state broadcaster ERT. "The front section of the train was smashed we're getting cranes to come in and special lifting equipment to clear the debris and lift the rail cars," he said. Smoke rises from trains as firefighters and rescuers operate after a collision near Larissa city, Greece, early on Wednesday.Credit:AP, We were turning over in the wagon until we fell on our sides [] then there was panic, cables [everywhere] fire, the fire was immediate, as we were turning over we were being burnt, fire was right and left.. The cause of the collision is not yet known and is being investigated. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis was to visit the scene later in the day. According to the Italian company's website, it is the main provider of rail transport for passengers and freight in Greece and runs 342 passenger and commercial routes a day. What appeared to be the passenger train's third carriage lay atop the crumpled remains of the first two, where emergency crews were directing their focus. The train from Athens to Thessaloniki was carrying 350 passengers, many of them students returning from raucous Carnival celebrations. Some victims were found up to 40 metres away. March 1, 2023 11.14am. There are 20 to 25 people still missing, so the death toll from the collision could change, according to the BBC. Around 350 passengers were on board the passenger train that was heading northbound from Athens to Thessaloniki, both of which are popular with tourists. The impact caused a fire in a number of the passenger carriages, burning many commuters who were rushed to hospitals. This year was the first time the three-day festival, which precedes Lent, was celebrated in full since the start of the pandemic in 2020. Our first task is to treat the injured and, from there, to identify the bodies., Opposition politician Nikos Androulakis, a member of the European Parliament, flew in from Brussels to visit the site. More than 15 others were discharged after receiving initial treatment. There was a fire in the first cars and complete panic. Greek police said the manager of the train station in the central city of Larissa was arrested Wednesday in connection with the head-on collision. The crash killed at least 26 people and injured at least 85 people. AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time), abc.net.au/news/passenger-train-freight-train-collide-central-greece/102038088. While the track is double, both trains were traveling in opposite directions on the same line near the Vale of Tempe, a river valley about 380 kilometers (235 miles) north of Athens. Patrick Quinn and David Rising contributed to this story from Bangkok. 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