After sunrise, rescuers turned to heavy machinery to start moving large pieces of the trains. Railway safety in Greece has come under scrutiny in recent years, and the accident late Tuesday is the countrys deadliest, according to local media. Passengers who received minor injuries or were unharmed were transported by bus to Thessaloniki, 130km to the north. 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. They said others fought to free themselves after the passenger train buckled, slamming into a field near a gorge about 235 miles north of Athens. March 1, 2023 11.14am. Rescue crews illuminated the scene with floodlights before dawn on Wednesday as they searched frantically through the twisted, smoking wreckage for survivors. Copyright 2023 The Washington Times, LLC. Train crash, derailment in Greece injures at least 60 in fires, ruins. More than 200 people who were unharmed or suffered minor injuries were taken by bus to Thessaloniki, 130 kilometers (80 miles) to the north. 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. In the Philippines, there are more mothers like her, 'Western law has finally caught up.' This is an indescribable tragedy, government spokesman Giannis Oikonomou said, adding that 500 workers from emergency services were at the scene of the crash. There was panic in the carriage, people were screaming, a young man who was evacuated to a nearby bridge told SKAI TV. Karamanlis said the Greek railway system was not up to 21st-century standards when he took office. Why did Twitter suspend Sen. Mike Lees personal account? The stationmaster was arrested in Larissa in connection to the crash and two others were brought in for questions, The Associated Press reported. Broadcaster SKAI showed footage of derailed carriages, thick plumes of smoke, badly damaged broken windows, and debris strewn across the road. The collision occurred as the passenger train emerged from a tunnel near the Vale of Tempe, a gorge that separates the regions of Thessaly and Macedonia. We found a hole and from there we managed to get out. 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. He said dazed and disoriented people were escaping out of the trains rear cars as he arrived. It will take a long time, said Sarianidis. At least 66 people were injured in the crash, including six in intensive care, while about 250 passengers, some with minor injuries, were evacuated safely by bus to Thessaloniki, about 130km (80 miles) away. "I feel so sorry for the parents of these kids.". 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. 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. He said he was taking responsibility for "long-standing failures" in the country's transport network. The pain is unspeakable, he said. Smoke rises from trains as firefighters and rescuers operate after a collision near Tempe, in northern Greece, early on March 1, 2023. Five hours later, we are finding bodies.". He said that the first car caught fire and that he used a bag to break the window of his car, the fourth, and escape. Greek President Katerina Sakellaropolou said she would cut short a visit to Moldovato return to Greece following the collision. 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. For 10, 15 seconds it was chaos, Stergios Minenis, 28, told the BBC. 1833 Hightstown rail accident, Hightstown, New Jersey; 2 killed plus 15 injured.Earliest recorded train accident involving the death of passengers. 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.. "We are living through a tragedy. The passenger train was en route from Athens to Thessaloniki with 342 passengers and a crew of 10. Ive never seen anything like this in my entire life. Theres debris flung all around the crash site.. First and foremost, our thoughts today are with the relatives of the victims. Dozens hurt in fiery train crash, derailment in Greece. TEMPE, Greece -- Rescuers searched for survivors Wednesday in the mangled, burned-out wreckage of two trains that slammed into each other in northern Greece, killing at least 43 people and crumpling carriages into twisted steel knots in the country's worst-ever rail crash. A teenage survivor who did not give his name told reporters that just before the crash he felt a strong braking and saw sparks then there was a sudden stop. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn, and work. ", "The front section of the train was smashed. 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 burned, fire was right and left.. There was panic in the carriage, people were screaming, a young man who was evacuated under a nearby bridge told SKAI TV. Why, with todays technology that has existed for many years, should so many lives hang on a human hand?. March 1, 2023 11.14am. The collision between freight and passenger trains occurred some 235 miles north of Athens and left several cars derailed. "We are living through a tragedy. Man survives month lost in Amazon by eating insects, drinking urine. "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," spokesperson Vassilis Vathrakogiannis said. Rescue crews illuminated the scene with floodlights before dawn Wednesday as they searched frantically through the twisted, smoking wreckage for survivors. In these 3.5 years, we have made every effort to improve this reality, he said as he announced his resignation. Two rail officials were being questioned by police but had not been detained as of Wednesday morning. Stergios Minenis, a 28-year-old passenger who jumped to safety from the wreckage, said: "We heard a big bang. People, naturally, were scared very scared, he said. Police took their names as they arrived, in an effort to track anyone who may be missing. 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. Multiple cars derailed and at least three burst into flames after the two trains ran into each other at high speed just before midnight Tuesday, near the town of Tempe in northern Greece. There's debris flung all around the crash site.". "There's debris flung all over the crash site.". At least 36 people have been killed and dozens injured after two trains crashed head-on at high speed in Greece. At least 66 of those injured were still hospitalized, six of them in intensive care, as of 10 a.m. local time. We are living through a tragedy. Dozens hurt in fiery train crash, derailment in Greece. A passenger train collided with an oncoming freight train, causing a fiery crash on Wednesday in northern Greece. Tempe, Greece: A passenger train carrying hundreds of people collided at high speed with an oncoming freight train in a fiery wreck in northern Greece early on Wednesday, killing 32 people and injuring at least 85, officials said. A passenger train travelling from Athens to the northern city of Thessaloniki collided with a freight train outside Larissa just before midnight. COSTAS KANTOURIS and NICHOLAS PAPHITIS Associated Press, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Some of the passenger carriages exploded in flames from the impact. Greek Transport Minister Kostas Karamanlis has since submitted his resignation over the incident. We are going to be here all night, until we finish, until we find the last person, a volunteer rescue worker told the ERT public broadcaster. Many of the passengers would have been returning home after a long holiday weekend marking the beginning of Greek Orthodox lent. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? "Fortunately we were in the penultimate car and we got out alive. Derek Gatopoulos in Athens and Patrick Quinn and David Rising in Bangkok contributed to this story. He said dazed and disoriented people were escaping out of the train's rear cars as he arrived. "This is a terrible tragedy that is hard to comprehend," said deputy health minister Mina Gaga. Agorastor told SKAI TV the two trains collided head on the passenger train travelling from Athens to Thessaloniki, and a cargo train from Thessaloniki to Larissa. Rail operator Hellenic Train said the northbound passenger train from Athens to Thessaloniki, Greeces second-largest city, had about 350 passengers on board. A picture taken with a drone shows firefighters and rescue crews working to extricate passengers from trains after a collision near Larissa city, Greece. Fire Service Officials said 32 people were killed and at least 85 were injured. Survivors said some passengers were thrown from the train car windows on impact. By subscribing, you agree to SBSs terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS. The cargo train was traveling from Thessaloniki to Larissa with a crew of two. Many of those aboard the passenger train were students returning from Greece's raucous Carnival, officials said. Greece sold railway operator TRAINOSE to Italy's Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane in 2017 as part of its international bailout program, expecting hundreds of millions to be invested in rail infrastructure in the coming years. There were many big pieces of steel, said Vassilis Polyzos, a local resident who said he was one of the first people on the scene. When something so tragic happens, it is not possible to carry on as if nothing happened. "This is a terrible night," Mr Agorastos had earlier told state-run television. What appeared to be the third carriage lay atop the clumped remains of the first two. Pope Francis offered his condolences to the families of the dead, in a message sent to the president of the Greek bishops conference on his behalf by the Vaticans secretary of state. Sources: Hellenic Fire Service, Geodata.gov.gr. Smoke rose from trains as firefighters and rescuers tried to help out the victims after the accident. For the most part, we are mourning young people. The collision was so violent that the first two carriages of the passenger train "no longer exist", he told Skai television. Costas Agorastos, the regional governor of the Thessaly area, told Greece's Skai Television the two trains crashed head on at high speed. Were sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. Officials said the army had been contacted to assist. The fire was immediate, as we were turning over we were being burned, fire was right and left.". Are you on Telegram? He said some passengers escaped through windows but that after a few minutes, crew members were able to open the doors and let people out. The whole of Europe is mourning with you, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a tweet Wednesday. "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. The collision between a freight and passenger train occurred near Tempe, some 380 kilometres north of Athens, and resulted in the derailment of several train cars. The pontiff sends the assurance of his prayers to everyone affected by this tragedy, the message said. Costas Agorastos, the regional governor of the Thessaly area, told Greece's Skai Television the two trains collided head on at high speed. 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 government announced three days of national mourning. Rail operator Hellenic Train said the northbound passenger train to Thessaloniki, Greeces second-largest city, had about 350 passengers on board. "I feel so sorry for the parents of these kids.". Associated Press reported reported that 350 passengers were on board the passenger train that was heading northbound from Athens to The good news about egg prices. 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. All Rights Reserved, Stationmaster arrested in connection to Greece train crash that killed at least 36. Another woman, who was waiting there, said her child was not picking up the phone. A passenger who escaped from the fifth carriage told the television network: "Windows were being smashed and people were screaming". Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis was to visit the scene later in the day. 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. We are going to be here all night until we finish;until we find the last person.". ", "It was a nightmare. The cause remains unknown. In comments to state television, Costas Agorastos, the regional governor of the Thessaly area, said the collision was very strong, adding that the first four carriages had derailed, while the first two were almost completely destroyed. At least 32 people have died after a passenger train collided with an oncoming freight train in northern Greece early on Wednesday. Help keep family & friends informed by sharing this article, Marie has been charged with reprehensible crimes. "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," spokesperson Vassilis Vathrakogiannis said. Were working to restore it. "There were many big pieces of steel," said Vassilis Polyzos, a local resident who said he was one of the first people on the scene. Police took their names as they arrived, in an effort to track anyone who may be missing. ", 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. Multiple cars derailed and at least three burst into flames after the collision near Tempe, a small town next to a valley where major highway and rail tunnels are located, some 380 kilometres north of Athens. Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem. "The trains were completely destroyed, both passenger and freight trains.". Terms of Use / Privacy Policy / Manage Newsletters, - Pope Francis sent his condolences and passed along blessings to those injured and to emergency workers, according to the Vaticans news agency. 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