Station master charged over Greece train disaster as Prime Minister seeks forgiveness

Vassilis Samaras has admitted 'some responsibility' but union says it sounded the alarm on safety shortcomings three weeks ago

A damaged carriage is removed from the scene after a head-on collision between two trains near Larissa, Greece, on February 28. AFP

A protester throws a projectile during clashes with police at a demonstration in Athens, following the train crash. AFP

Demonstrators release lanterns during a protest in front of the parliament, in Athens. AP

Riot policemen detain a protester in Athens. EPA

People light candles and hold black balloons during a silent demonstration in front of the parliament in Athens. AFP

A riot police officer throws a stun grenade in Athens. Reuters

Pallbearers carry the coffin of one of the victims of the train crash, during a funeral procession, in Thessaloniki. AP

Firefighters and rescuers work at the crash scene. EPA

A station master on duty during Greece’s worst train accident was taken into custody on Sunday, hours after the prime minister sought forgiveness for the disaster.

The station master Vassilis Samaras, 59, had earlier been called on to explain to a prosecutor how a passenger train was allowed to run on the same line as a freight train for several kilometres.

The accident, which happened near the central city of Larissa on Tuesday night, killed at least 57 people.

Mr Samaras was on Sunday charged over his role in the “death of a large number of people”.

The offence carries a sentence of between 10 years and life under Greek law.

Early in the day, ahead of a memorial service in Athens, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis wrote a message addressed to the nation.

“As prime minister, I owe it to everyone, but especially to the victims' relatives, [to ask for] forgiveness,” he wrote.

“For the Greece of 2023, two trains heading in different directions cannot run on the same line and no one notices,” Mr Mitsotakis wrote in the message posted on his Facebook page.

The minister in charge will announce immediate measures to improve railway safety, he said.

Greece will also seek the help and advice of the European Commission, as well as funding, to upgrade and modernise its rail system, he said.

Greek television showed harrowing images of weeping parents seeking to find out about their children who had been aboard the train and berating authorities for what had happened.

At the small station of Rapsani, near the accident site, local people left red and white carnations and lit candles along the track, as public anger on the streets over the deaths turned into violence at demonstrations to protest the long-standing neglect of rail safety and to mourn the victims.

Thousands of angry demonstrators — police estimated the number at 12,000 people — gathered by the large esplanade in front of the parliament to demand accountability for the disaster.

Some protesters held signs reading “Down with killer governments” and violent clashes erupted between police and some of the demonstrators.

Police said seven officers were hurt and five arrests were made after demonstrators set fire to rubbish bins and threw Molotov cocktails.

Police responded by firing tear gas and stun grenades to clear the square.

Hellenic Train, the rail company that has become the focus of some of the anger expressed after the crash, defended its actions on Saturday evening.

Its staff were quick to reach the scene of the disaster and had been working closely with rescue teams and the authorities ever since, it said.

Hundreds of people demonstrated during the week outside their Athens headquarters, and one legal source has said that investigators are looking at the possibility of bringing charges against senior members of the company.

Just as hard questions are also being asked of the government over its failure to pursue rail safety reforms, rail union officials have insisted they warned the company about the safety issues on the line.

Many of the crash victims were students returning from a weekend break.

At least nine young people studying at Thessaloniki's Aristotle University were among those killed on the passenger train.

In his message on Sunday, Mr Mitsotakis addressed the question of responsibility, saying they did not wish to hide behind the issue of human error.

Details have emerged in the Greek media of the stationmaster's relative inexperience in the post and the fact that he was left unsupervised during a busy holiday weekend.

His lawyer, Stefanos Pantzartsidis, has insisted that while his client had admitted some responsibility, this was not the whole story.

Train crash in Greece — in pictures

“In the case, there are important new elements that need to be examined,” he said on Saturday.

Kostas Genidounias, head of the train drivers' union OSE, has said they had already warned the authorities about safety failings on the line where the crash happened.

Union leaders at Hellenic Train sounded the alarm only three weeks ago.

“We are not going to wait for the accident to happen to see those responsible shed crocodile tears,” they said at the time.

In Vatican City on Sunday, Pope Francis offered prayers for the victims of the crash.

“I am praying for the deceased,” he said. “I am near the wounded and to their relatives. May our lady comfort them.”