Trial for the Tempi train tragedy continues with testimony from survivors

The 46th and 47th sessions of the trial concerning the February 28, 2023, rail disaster in Tempi, Greece, took place at the Larissa Criminal Court of Appeal. The hearings focused on the testimonies of victims' relatives and survivors of the collision that claimed 57 lives. Vangelis Vlachos, brother of victim Vaios Vlachos, testified about systemic safety failures, the lack of signaling, and alleged interference with the crash site evidence, emphasizing that the tragedy was predictable due to years of infrastructure neglect.

Survivors, including Anusia Liouri and Dina Magdalianidi, provided harrowing accounts of the night. Liouri, who suffered severe chemical and thermal burns and permanent disability, described the chaotic scene in the train's canteen carriage. Magdalianidi recounted smelling gas before the collision at approximately 23:20. Other survivors, such as Kalliopi Kalaitzidou and Angelos Fanourakis, described flashes of light and the subsequent inferno. The court process remains focused on examining witness accounts, with family members and survivors seeking accountability for the profound failures of the Hellenic Railways Organization (OSE).