Relatives testify at Tempi train crash trial in Larissa

The trial regarding the February 28, 2023, train crash at Tempi, Greece, continues at the three-member Court of Appeals for Felonies in Larissa. During recent sessions, relatives of the victims provided emotional testimonies, highlighting systemic failures in railway safety, inadequate communication protocols, and concerns over the management of the accident site, including allegations of site tampering.

Key testimonies included those of Lysimachos Papazoglou, Despina Ganidou, and Vassilios Pavlides, who questioned the cause of the fireball, the functionality of the GSM-R communication system, and the delay in implementing the 717 contract for railway signaling. Families also raised concerns regarding unidentified biological material, requesting further forensic laboratory examinations of bone fragments found at the site. The defense and relatives demand accountability for both political and natural responsible parties, citing a lack of safety infrastructure.

Legal proceedings are ongoing, with further sessions scheduled. Defense attorneys, including Zoe Konstantopoulou, have indicated they will submit additional formal requests to the court for further forensic evidence evaluation. The court remains the primary forum for the families seeking justice for the 57 lives lost in the tragedy.