The train from Athens to Thessaloniki was carrying 350 passengers, many of them students returning from raucous Carnival celebrations. 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. ", "The front section of the train was smashed. FDA panel recommends first RSV vaccine for adults 60 and older, Biden touts plan to raise taxes on the rich, but its unclear he has support in the House, Eli Lilly announces out-of-pocket cap on insulin at $35 a month, Why are eggs so expensive? The trains were completely destroyed, both passenger and freight trains.. Around 60 had been taken to hospital, with six of them in intensive care. By subscribing, you agree to SBSs terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS. The trains crashed just before the Vale of Tempe, a gorge that separates the regions of Thessaly and Macedonia. The evacuation of victims was carried out under very difficult conditions due to the severity of the collision between the two trains, said Vassilis Varthakoyiannis, a spokesman for Greeces firefighting service. Ambulances from several nearby towns were called in to take injured passengers to hospitals, while rescue workers continued to work in the thick smoke. At least 36 people have been killed and dozens injured after two trains crashed head-on at high speed in Greece. "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," said fire service spokesperson Vassilis Varthakoyiannis. Agorastos described the collision on state television as "very powerful" and said it was "a terrible night. Smoke rose from trains as firefighters and rescuers tried to help out the victims after the accident. Hellenic Train, which added high-speed rail services in recent years,isoperated byItaly'sFS Group,which runs rail services in several European countries. Web19th century 1830s. Another woman, who was waiting there, said her child was not picking up the phone. A passenger train collided with a freight train in Greece just before midnight on Feb. 28, killing 29 and injuring at least 85 people, authorities say. There's debris flung all around the crash site.". "I feel so sorry for the parents of these kids.". A passenger train collided with an oncoming freight train in northern Greece early on Wednesday, killing multiple people and injuring scores of others. A picture taken with a drone shows firefighters and rescue crews working to extricate passengers from trains after a collision near Larissa city, Greece. "This is a terrible night," Mr Agorastos had earlier told state-run television. A passenger train collided with an oncoming freight train in northern Greece early on Wednesday, killing multiple people and injuring scores of others. At least 66 of those injured were still hospitalized, six of them in intensive care, as of 10 a.m. local time. Some victims were found up to 40 metres away. 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. At least 32 people have died after a passenger train collided with an oncoming freight train in northern Greece early on Wednesday. Costas Agorastos, the regional governor of the Thessaly area, told Greece's Skai Television the two trains collided head on at high speed. Greeces firefighting service said some 66 people were hospitalized, including six in intensive care. Footage showed rescuers wearing head lamps surrounded by thick smoke, pulling pieces of mangled metal from the carriages to search for trapped people. The government declared three days of national mourning from Wednesday, while flags flew at half-staff outside all European Commission buildings in Brussels. About 250 passengers who received minor injuries or were unharmed weretaken safely to Thessaloniki on busesearly on Wednesday morning. Several of the dead are believed to have been found in the restaurant car near the front of the passenger train. Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou broke off an official visit to Moldova to visit the scene, laying flowers beside the wreckage. The passenger train was traveling from the capital, Athens, to Thessaloniki, Greeces second-largest city, when it and the cargo train collided. A passenger train and a freight train collided in northern Greece, killing at least 32 people and injuring 85 others as plumes of smoke filled the night sky. A passenger who escaped from the fifth carriage told the television network: "Windows were being smashed and people were screaming". "Based on these facts, and the findings from the scene of the tragedy, the number is expected to be greater" than the current toll of 36. "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," fire brigade spokesperson Vassilis Vathrakogiannis told a news conference. Rail operator Hellenic Train said the northbound passenger train to Thessaloniki, Greece's second-largest city, had about 350 passengers on board. Rescuers wearing head lamps worked in thick smoke, pulling pieces of mangled metal from the cars to search for trapped people. "There was panic the fire was immediate, as we were turning over we were being burned, fire was right and left. Around 350 passengers were on board the passenger train that was heading northbound from Athens to Thessaloniki, both of which are popular with tourists. Karamanlis said the Greek railway system was not up to 21st-century standards when he took office. Is it more dangerous than the old one? At least 29 people are dead and 85 injured after a commercial train and a passenger train collided and derailed in Greece on Tuesday. The cause remains unknown. Greek Transport Minister Kostas Karamanlis has since submitted his resignation over the incident. Before dawn, rescuers searched through twisted, smoking wreckage for survivors. We heard a big bang, (it was) 10 nightmarish seconds, said Stergios Minenis, a 28-year-old passenger who jumped to safety from the wreckage. Man survives month lost in Amazon by eating insects, drinking urine. All Rights Reserved, Stationmaster arrested in connection to Greece train crash that killed at least 36. Its tragic. Authorities arrested the stationmaster at the trains last stop, in the city of Larissa. A passenger named Lazos told the newspaper Proto Thema that the experience had been very shocking. The Associated Press contributed to this report. "Temperatures were particularly high, reaching even 1,300 degrees Celsius (about 2,700 Fahrenheit)," Varthakogiannis told journalists. Rescue effort under way after passenger train carrying 350 people collided with a cargo train near central city of Larissa. More than 200 people who were unharmed in the crash or suffered minor injuries were transported by bus to Thessaloniki, 130 kilometresto the north. "It was like an earthquake," Angelos Tsiamouras, another passenger, told state broadcaster ERT. A volunteer rescue worker told ERT those on the scene were "living through a tragedy". The front section of the train was smashed. A teenage survivor who did not give his name saidhe had used a bag to break open the window of his carriage and escape. A passenger train carrying hundreds of people collided at high speed with an oncoming freight train in central Greece late on Tuesday night, killing 36 peopleand injuring at least 85. Survivors said several passengers were thrown through the windows of the train cars due to the impact. "Fortunately we were in the penultimate car and we got out alive. The fire brigade said it was informed of the accident shortly before midnight. 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. Harry and Meghan reportedly losing their U.K. royal residence. Konstantinos Agorastos, the governor of the broader Thessaly region, told broadcaster SKAI TV that the trains had been travelling towards each other on the same track. Regional governor of Thessaly, Kostas Agorastos, said 250 survivors had been evacuated to Thessaloniki on buses. Essential reporting and analysis from correspondents around the world. Many of the passengers would have been returning home after a long holiday weekend marking the beginning of Greek Orthodox lent. Survivors said several passengers were thrown through the windows of the train cars due to the impact. Temperatures reached 1,300 degrees Celsius (2,372 Fahrenheit), which makes it even more difficult to identify the people who were in it, fire service spokesperson Vassilis Varthakoyiannis said. Many were evacuated to Thessaloniki, where one woman ran to embrace her daughter as she disembarked from a bus with other survivors. He said it was a terrible night. Police took their names as they arrived, in an effort to track anyone who may be missing. "I feel so sorry for the parents of these kids.". Smokes were seen from where the accident took place. Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. 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. Thessaloniki has a large student population. "Carriage one and two no longer exist, and the third has derailed," he said. The government announced three days of national mourning. Television footage showed derailed carriages with cargo containers flipped over and crash debris strewn across a nearby road. A passenger train collided with an oncoming freight train in northern Greece early Wednesday morning. Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou cut short a visit to Moldova and traveled to the crash site, where she laid white flowers among the wreckage, according to the Greek newspaper Kathimerini. Copyright 2023 Deseret News Publishing Company. 1837 Seaboard and Roanoke Railroad collision, Suffolk, Virginia; 3 killed plus dozens injured. Please enter valid email address to continue. We found a hole and from there we managed to get out. A police statement identified the person arrestedonly as a 59-year-old man. Paphitis reported from Athens, Greece. Greek police said the manager of the train station in the central city of Larissa was arrested Wednesday in connection with the head-on collision. They said others fought to free themselves after the passenger train buckled, slamming into a field next to the tracks. Two rail officials were being questioned by police but had not been detained. "They were looking around, searching; they didn't know where they were. They are in very bad condition. Rescuers are searching wreckage for survivors after 26 people died and at least 85 were injured in a collision between a passenger train and a freight train in central Greece. Several of the dead are believed to have been found in the restaurant car near the front of the passenger train. Smoke rose from trains as firefighters and rescuers tried to help out the victims after the accident. ", A passenger who escaped from the fifth carriage told Skai TV: "Windows were being smashed and people were screaming One of the windows caved in from the impact of iron from the other train.". Later in the year, a second accident resulted in ten injuries, with two of them ultimately dying. 1837 Seaboard and Roanoke Railroad collision, Suffolk, Virginia; 3 killed plus dozens injured. Residents of Larissa lined up to donate blood. Nearly 30 people were killed and 85 people were injured after a freight and passenger train collided with each other in Greece. The cause of the deadliest rail crash in Greece in decades remained unclear. Our carriage didnt derail, but the ones in front did and were smashed, he said, visibly shaken. Our carriage didnt derail, but the ones in front did and were smashed, he said, visibly shaken. The government declared three days of national mourning, with flags flying at half-mast in a tribute to the victims. Broadcaster SKAI showed footage of derailed carriages, thick plumes of smoke, badly damaged broken windows, and debris strewn across the road. Ive never seen anything like this in my entire life. Rescue workers with high-powered torches were searching through the wreckage for trapped passengers. The crash killed at least 26 people and injured at least 85 people. "It's hard to describe the scene. Footage from the crash site showed flames surrounding the derailed train cars, as well as the swirling lights of firetrucks and ambulances nearby. 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. Police said several carriages came off the rails, with at least three of them catching fire. The cause of the collision is unknown pending further investigation, but Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the Greek government would do everything it can to find out what caused the crash. Smoke rises from trains as firefighters and rescuers operate after a collision near Tempe, in northern Greece, early on March 1, 2023. Train crash, derailment in Greece injures at least 60 in fires, ruins. Kasulis Cho reported from Seoul, Francis from London and Parker from Washington. This year was the first time the three-day festival, which precedes Lent, was celebrated in full since the start of the pandemic in 2020. A passenger train travelling from Athens to the northern city of Thessaloniki collided with a freight train outside Larissa just before midnight. Train crash, derailment in Greece injures at least 60 in fires, ruins. I consider it a necessary element of our democracy that the citizens of our country trust the political system. 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. There were many big pieces of steel, he said. Agorastos described the collision on state television as "very powerful" and said it was "a terrible night. Watch Live: Closing arguments begin in double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh, Intel review says "very unlikely" foreign adversary behind "Havana Syndrome", Ex-Georgia star Jalen Carter was racing in deadly crash, arrest warrants allege, Watch Live: Garland testifies amid ongoing special counsel investigations, Fiery train crash in Greece kills dozens, many of them students. When search suggestions are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Officials said the army had been contacted to assist. The stationmaster was arrested in Larissa in connection to the crash and two others were brought in for questions, The Associated Press reported. A passenger train travelling from Athens to the northern city of Thessaloniki collided with a freight train outside Larissa just before midnight. Unfortunately, our efforts have not been sufficient to prevent such a bad incident. At least 32 people are reported to have been killed and dozens injured after two trains collided in Greece. Smoke rises from trains as firefighters and rescuers operate after a collision near Larissa city, Greece, early on Wednesday. Visiting the accident scene, Prime Minister Mitsotakis said the government must help the injured recover and identify the dead. Greeces firefighting service said 57 people remained hospitalized late Wednesday, including six in intensive care. We are pulling out people alive, injuredthere are dead. Hellenic Train is operated by Italys FS Group, which runs rail services in several European countries. Updated on: March 1, 2023 / 9:20 AM COSTAS KANTOURIS and NICHOLAS PAPHITIS Associated Press, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. He added that the first car caught fire and that he used a bag to break the window of his car, the fourth, and escape. Passengers speaking to the BBC described hearing a big bang and escaping the fire that engulfed their train immediately after the collision. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. "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. The cargo train was traveling from Thessaloniki to Larissa with a crew of two. We are pulling out people alive, injured there are dead.". Emergency services from nearby towns were deployed to help with rescue efforts. Greek authorities said they had started identifying victims but did not yet know the exact toll, with at least 194 surviving passengers transferred to Thessaloniki by bus. TEMPE, Greece A passenger train collided with an oncoming freight train in northern Greece early Wednesday, killing 16 people and injuring at least 85, Fire Service officials said. Opinion: We are in a new cold war. The crash came after a holiday weekend, in which people across the country don colorful clothing, beat drums and parade through villages before the beginning of Lent. They were looking around, searching; they didnt know where they were.. ', CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices. We are living through a tragedy. He said he was taking responsibility for "long-standing failures" in the country's transport network. To 40 metres away derail, but the ones in front did and were smashed, he,. Tempe, a second accident resulted in ten injuries, with two of students! 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