We share the pain of those who lost loved ones, but we know their pain is so great that comforting words can offer no relief.. They said others fought to free themselves after the passenger train buckled, slamming into a field next to the tracks. The fire was immediate, as we were turning over we were being burned, fire was right and left.". The front section of the train was smashed. Railway safety in Greece has come under scrutiny in recent years, and the accident late Tuesday is the countrys deadliest, according to local media. They were travelling at great speed and one (driver) didnt know the other was coming, he added. Sixty-six of those injured were hospitalised, six of whom in intensive care, the official said. A passenger train collided with an oncoming freight train in northern Greece early on Wednesday, killing multiple people and injuring scores of others. Many were evacuated to Thessaloniki, where one woman ran to embrace her daughter as she disembarked from a bus with other survivors. Smoke rose from trains as firefighters and rescuers tried to help out the victims after the accident. They said others fought to free themselves after the passenger train buckled, slamming into a field near a gorge, about 380 kilometres north of Athens. Regional governor of Thessaly, Kostas Agorastos, said 250 survivors had been evacuated to Thessaloniki on buses. A teenage survivor who did not give his name told Greek reporters as he got off one of the buses that just before the crash, he felt a strong braking and saw sparks and then there was a sudden stop. 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. Officials said the army had been contacted to assist. Wed Mar 1 2023 - 06:16. COSTAS KANTOURIS and NICHOLAS PAPHITIS Associated Press, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. 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. At least 16 people have been killed and dozens injured after a head-on collision between a passenger and cargo train in Greece. Passengers who were on board the train from Athens spoke to local media early on Wednesday morning, describing the frenzied scenes in the aftermath of the crash. At least 32 people have died after a passenger train collided with an oncoming freight train in northern Greece early on Wednesday. Smokes were seen from where the accident took place. Are you on Telegram? Agorastos described the collision on state television as "very powerful" and said it was "a terrible night. Police in the nearby city of Larissa said they had arrested a 59-year-old station master, who has been charged with causing mass deaths through negligence and causing grievous bodily harm through negligence. By midafternoon, Transportation Minister Kostas Karamanlis had resigned. Were working to restore it. "We still don't know the exact number of victims, we will investigate the reasons for (the crash) in full transparency," Infrastructure and Transport minister Kostas Karamanlis, in tears, told reporters. 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. Costas Agorastos, the regional governor of the Thessaly area, told Greece's Skai Television the two trains crashed head on at high speed. I wasnt hurt but I was stained with blood from other people who were hurt near me, he said. A teenage survivor who did not give his name saidhe had used a bag to break open the window of his carriage and escape. Officials said the army had been contacted to assist. Rescuers wearing head lamps worked in thick smoke, pulling pieces of mangled metal from the cars to search for trapped people. Smoke rose from trains as firefighters and rescuers tried to help out the victims after the accident. "I feel so sorry for the parents of these kids.". 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. 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. Please try again later. "The trains were completely destroyed, both passenger and freight trains.". 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 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. 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. We're getting cranes to come in and special lifting equipment clear the debris and lift the rail cars. Tumbling over, fires, cables hanging, broken windows, people screaming, people trapped.. The pontiff sends the assurance of his prayers to everyone affected by this tragedy, the message said. Passengers who received minor injuries or were unharmed were transported by bus to Thessaloniki, 130km to the north. 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. TikTok announced it was banning dangerous tanning content so why didn't it. AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time), abc.net.au/news/passenger-train-freight-train-collide-central-greece/102038088. A passenger train collided with an oncoming freight train causing a fiery crash on Wednesday in northern Greece. At least 29 people are dead and 85 injured after a commercial train and a passenger train collided and derailed in Greece on Tuesday. Essential reporting and analysis from correspondents around the world. Web19th century 1830s. The cargo train had been travelling from Thessaloniki to Larissa. Survivors said several passengers were thrown through the windows of the train cars due to the impact. March 1, 2023 11.14am. At least 66 of those injured were still hospitalized, six of them in intensive care, as of 10 a.m. local time. A picture taken with a drone shows firefighters and rescue crews working to extricate passengers from trains after a collision near Larissa city, Greece. An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News, Interviews and feature reports from SBS News, A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability, Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service. At least 32 people are reported to have been killed and dozens injured after two trains collided in Greece. Derek Gatopoulos in Athens and Patrick Quinn and David Rising in Bangkok contributed to this story. After sunrise, they turned to heavy machinery that had been brought in to start moving large pieces of the trains. Greece train crash: Dozens killed in head-on rail collision north of Athens, A crane, firefighters and rescuers operate after a collision in Tempe near Larissa city, Greece. 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. By Sunita Patel-Carstairs and Sharon Marris, news reporters, Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player. We are pulling out people alive, injuredthere are dead. "There were many big pieces of steel," said Vassilis Polyzos, a local resident who was one of the first people on the scene. Help keep family & friends informed by sharing this article, Marie has been charged with reprehensible crimes. Government officials said the army has been asked to help with the rescue. The bodies are being transferred to the hospitals of Larissa in order to begin the process of recognition and identification, the Fire Brigade said in a statement, per ABC News. The festivities had been canceled the previous three years because of the coronavirus pandemic. I consider it a necessary element of our democracy that the citizens of our country trust the political system. There's debris flung all around the crash site.". We are going to be here all night until we finish;until we find the last person.". 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 Tuesday night, killing at least 36 people and injuring some 85, officials said Wednesday. 1837 Seaboard and Roanoke Railroad collision, Suffolk, Virginia; 3 killed plus dozens injured. More than 200 people who were unharmed or suffered minor injuries were taken by bus to Thessaloniki, 130 kilometers (80 miles) to the north. Rescuers wearing head lamps worked in thick smoke, pulling pieces of mangled metal from the cars to search for trapped people. The fire brigade said it was informed of the accident shortly before midnight. Paphitis reported from Athens, Greece. Workers also were seen on live broadcasts moving a body on a stretcher into an ambulance. In these 3.5 years, we have made every effort to improve this reality, he said as he announced his resignation. He said it was a terrible night. Source: Getty / Anadolu Agency, Murat whistled until he was found under rubble in Trkiye. A passenger train collided with an oncoming freight train in northern Greece early Wednesday, killing 16 people and injuring at least 85, fire officials said. Survivors said several passengers were thrown through the windows due to the impact. "They were looking around, searching; they didn't know where they were.". Two rail officials were being questioned by police but had not been detained. Train collision in Greece kills at least 36; station master arrested. Police said several carriages came off the rails, with at least three of them catching fire. "We were turning over in the wagon until we fell on our sides then there was panic, cables [everywhere], fire. 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. The government declared three days of national mourning, with flags flying at half-mast in a tribute to the victims of the crash. "Fortunately we were in the penultimate car and we got out alive. Its very difficult what we are going through today as a country, he told reporters. Dear President Biden: War in Ukraine isnt just about Ukraine, There can be no genuine budget discipline without entitlement reform, Two birds, one stone: 1619 Project vindicates capitalism. "This is a terrible tragedy that is hard to comprehend," said deputy health minister Mina Gaga. Survivors said several passengers were thrown through the windows of the train cars due to the impact. The whole of Europe is mourning with you, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a tweet Wednesday. Two carriages of train in 'nightmare' crash 'no longer exist' - follow live updates. Hospital units used to treat burn victims in the area were alerted and dozens of ambulances dispatched to the scene. 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. Please enter valid email address to continue. "We're getting cranes to come in and special lifting equipment clear the debris and lift the rail cars. 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. 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. 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. Costas Agorastos, the regional governor of the Thessaly area, told Greece's Skai Television the two trains collided head on at high speed. "We are pulling out people alive, injured there are dead. This is a terrible tragedy that is hard to comprehend, said Deputy Health Minister Mina Gaga. The trains crashed just before the Vale of Tempe, a gorge that separates the regions of Thessaly and Macedonia. "I express my condolences to those who lost loved ones or suffered in this disaster.". He said windows shattered, showering riders with glass. Others scoured the field with flashlights and checked underneath the wreckage. The collision between freight and passenger trains occurred some 235 miles north of Athens and left several cars derailed. Passengers speaking to the BBC described hearing a big bang and escaping the fire that engulfed their train immediately after the collision. "It's tragic. Audience Relations, CBC P.O. 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. Rescue effort under way after passenger train carrying 350 people collided with a cargo train near central city of Larissa. "We are living through a tragedy. Several of the dead are believed to have been found in the restaurant area near the front of the passenger train. Sixty-six of the 85 injured people were hospitalised, with six of those in intensive care, a fire brigade official said. Later in the year, a second accident resulted in ten injuries, with two of them ultimately dying. Its tragic. "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. Search and rescue efforts continue through thick smoke, per AP. Tuesday, February 28, 2023, NEW: Its not polite to pretend boys can be girls, SCOTUS takes on Bidens student debt agenda. People, naturally, were scared very scared, he said. Smoke rises from trains as firefighters and rescuers operate after a collision near Larissa city, Greece, early on Wednesday. "It's hard to describe the scene. The wagon started to spin and then it ended up on its side and we got out. Kasulis Cho reported from Seoul, Francis from London and Parker from Washington. Theres debris flung all around the crash site.. Opinion: We are in a new cold war. There's debris flung all around the crash site.". "There was panic in the carriage, people were screaming," another young man told SKAI TV. The collision was like a huge earthquake.". The stationmaster was arrested in Larissa in connection to the crash and two others were brought in for questions, The Associated Press reported. Greece's firefighting service said some 66 people were hospitalized, including six in intensive care. Before dawn the next day, rescuers searched through twisted, smoking wreckage for survivors. Associated Press reported reported that 350 passengers were on board the passenger train that was heading northbound from Athens to What appeared to be the third carriage lay atop the clumped remains of the first two. 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. The cargo train was traveling from Thessaloniki to Larissa with a crew of two. He said dazed and disoriented people were escaping out of the train's rear cars as he arrived. Five hours later, we are finding bodies.". It will take a long time, said Sarianidis. While the track is double, both trains were traveling in opposite directions on the same line near the Vale of Tempe, a river valley about 380 kilometers (235 miles) north of Athens. This is his story of survival. Harry and Meghan reportedly losing their U.K. royal residence. Authorities set up a hotline for relatives of passengers seeking information on family members. After sunrise, rescuers turned to heavy machinery to start moving large pieces of the trains. "This is a terrible tragedy that is hard to comprehend," said Deputy Health Minister Mina Gaga. 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.. A passenger train collided with an oncoming freight train in northern Greece early Wednesday, killing 16 people and injuring at least 85, fire officials said. On Wednesday, the government declared three days of national mourning. Police took their names as they arrived, in an effort to track anyone who may be missing. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis was to visit the scene later in the day. ", "The front section of the train was smashed. Tuesday's was Greece's worst rail crash since 1968, when 34 people were killed in a crash in the southern Peloponnese region. Fire Service Officials said 32 people were killed and at least 85 were injured. A passenger train and a cargo train have collided head-on in Greece, killing at least 36 people and injuring dozens as the country's deadliest rail crash in living memory threw entire carriages off the tracks. Multiple cars derailed and at least three burst into flames after the collision just before midnight Tuesday near the town of Tempe as the passenger train was emerging from a highway underpass. 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. Greek government spokesman Yiannis Economou said earlier that the two trains had been running in opposite directions on the same track for "several kilometers.". What appeared to be the third carriage lay atop the clumped remains of the first two. The crash occurred as the passenger train emerged from a tunnel. 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. Hellenic Train, which has added high-speed services in recent years, is operated by Italy's FS Group, which runs rail services in several European countries. March 1, 2023 11.14am. Hospital units used to treat burn victims had been alerted in the area and dozens of ambulances were involved in the rescue effort. Dozens hurt in fiery train crash, derailment in Greece. Another two people have been detained for questioning. 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, Vassilis Varthakoyiannis, a spokesman for Greeces firefighting service, told the AP. The cause remains unknown. 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. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? At least 32 people are reported to have been killed and dozens injured after two trains collided in Greece. Rescuers in Larissa, Greece are searching for survivors in the twisted remains of a passenger train and freight train that collided at high speed shortly before midnight. 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. Police took their names as they arrived, in an effort to track anyone who may be missing. Train crash, derailment in Greece injures at least 60 in fires, ruins. Our country is experiencing an unspeakable tragedy, and we are all facing the huge question of why, he told journalists there, according to Kathimerini. The cause of the deadliest rail crash in Greece in decades remained unclear. Fire service spokesman Vassilis Varthakoyiannis said the evacuation was being carried out under very difficult conditions. A local TV channel reported that some people were still trapped earlier in the morning. We are pulling out people alive, injuredthere are dead," he said. 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