3 Weeks Ago, Union Warned of Greece Train Accident... "Risk of Major Disaster"

It has been revealed that the Greek railway union warned of the risk of a major accident three weeks before the train collision in Greece that resulted in over 100 casualties.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to major foreign media on the 6th (local time), the Greek railway union pointed out in a statement released on the 7th of last month that railway accidents have been continuous, warning that a serious accident would occur if the safety system is not promptly improved.

The railway union stated, "We will not wait for the accident that is about to happen," adding, "Safety must be the top priority."

It took less than a month for the concern to become reality. Just before midnight on the 28th of last month, a passenger train heading from Athens to Thessaloniki collided head-on with a freight train traveling from Thessaloniki to Larisa, causing a major accident. As a result, 57 people have died so far out of approximately 350 passengers on the passenger train at the time. Greek police arrested the Larisa stationmaster on charges of negligent homicide for sending the passenger train onto the wrong track, and Kostas Karamanlis, the Minister of Transport, resigned taking responsibility for the disaster.

Investigations into the cause of the accident are ongoing, but in Greece, anger is spreading widely over the government and railway company neglecting the aging railway system, which led to the tragedy. Protests have been held nationwide, and railway and subway unions have launched a 24-hour strike.

As public sentiment surged, Prime Minister Mitsotakis, who initially stated that the disaster was caused by the personal fault of the stationmaster, issued a public apology the day before and changed his stance, acknowledging that the government is responsible for the disaster. He apologized, saying, "I owe an apology to everyone," and "As Prime Minister, I especially ask for forgiveness from the families of the victims."

The Greek government has taken measures such as requesting financial support from the European Union (EU) to improve the Greek railway system. Prime Minister Mitsotakis requested cooperation from the EU not only for funding but also for technical support, to which the EU responded immediately. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, stated on her Twitter that "railway experts are scheduled to visit Athens, the capital of Greece," and emphasized that "railway safety is of utmost importance."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.