LARISSA – The trial commenced on Monday in Greece, concerning the catastrophic train collision that claimed 57 lives, predominantly students. This tragedy not only shocked the nation but also exposed significant, long-standing safety oversights.

The incident, which occurred in February 2023, resulted in a fiery explosion upon impact, leaving passengers trapped inside the twisted wreckage of the trains.

A total of 36 individuals, primarily rail and transport officials, are facing grave charges related to risking public transport safety.

The collision took place in Tempe, northern Greece, when a passenger train was mistakenly directed onto the wrong track, leading it directly into the path of an oncoming freight train—a shocking error on a basic rail system.

According to investigators, this mistake was exacerbated by malfunctioning signal systems, alongside inadequate staffing, oversight, and maintenance, attributed to prolonged delays in implementing safety upgrades.

The trial is being conducted in a converted campus to manage the extensive proceedings, which include hundreds of witnesses. It is anticipated to extend over a two-year period.

Riot police formed a cordon around the court as several hundred demonstrators gathered outside and victims’ relatives, many dressed in black, arrived to attend the hearings.

“Real justice would be to get our kids back. But what we are asking for now is the exemplary punishment of those responsible,” said Pavlos Aslanidis, whose 27-year-old son Dimitris was killed in the crash. “It is very sad that three years later, no one has gone to jail.

The defendants include station masters on duty that night, their supervisor, former rail officials, senior transport ministry staff and former executives from the Italian-owned operator Hellenic Train.

Victims’ families, many of whom have campaigned for accountability, are expected to attend throughout.

The disaster has remained a deeply emotive and politically charged issue, sparking multiple public protests and strikes, with critics accusing the conservative government of shifting all responsibility onto rail officials.

At a makeshift memorial outside parliament in Athens, the victims’ names are written in red paint and surrounded by candles and flowers.

Several separate legal cases linked to the disaster are in progress, including a parliament-sanctioned probe into political accountability.

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Kantouris reported from Tempe, Greece