Tempi train disaster trial continues with victim family testimonies

The trial regarding the February 28, 2023, train collision at Tempi continued on Monday at the Three-Member Court of Appeals for Felonies in Larissa. During the 36th session, Lysimachos Papazoglou and Despina Ganidou, parents of 22-year-old victim Georgios Papazoglou, provided testimony regarding the fatal crash. The parents highlighted systemic failures in railway safety, the absence of functional automated warning systems, and expressed significant concerns regarding the investigation of the explosion and fireball that occurred following the collision, dismissing claims that silicone oils were the sole cause.

Testimonies also centered on alleged administrative cover-ups and procedural irregularities in the aftermath of the crash. Mr. Papazoglou specifically questioned the actions of defendant Zacharias Stournaras, alleging an attempt to suppress information shortly after the disaster. The victims' families further addressed the long-standing warnings regarding the condition of the rail network and the failure to implement contract 717, which would have modernized signaling systems. The court proceedings remain ongoing as families continue to seek accountability for the failures that led to the collision and the alleged lack of transparency during the subsequent investigation.