A passenger train collided with an oncoming freight train causing a fiery crash on Wednesday in northern Greece. He said dazed and disoriented people were escaping out of the trains rear cars as he arrived. A passenger train collided with an oncoming freight train, causing a fiery crash on Wednesday in northern Greece. The passenger train was en route from Athens to Thessaloniki with 342 passengers and a crew of 10. 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. 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. It was like an earthquake, Angelos Tsiamouras, another passenger, told ERT. After sunrise, rescuers turned to heavy machinery to start moving large pieces of the trains. At least 66 of those injured were still hospitalized, six of them in intensive care, as of 10 a.m. local time. A passenger who escaped from the fifth carriage told the television network: "Windows were being smashed and people were screaming". March 1, 2023 11.14am. Police took their names as they arrived, in an effort to track anyone who might be missing. Fire service officials said 36 people were killed and at least 85 were injured. 1837 Seaboard and Roanoke Railroad collision, Suffolk, Virginia; 3 killed plus dozens injured. Rescue crews illuminated the scene with floodlights before dawn Wednesday as they searched frantically through the twisted, smoking wreckage for survivors. The government declared three days of national mourning, with flags flying at half-mast in a tribute to the victims. Web19th century 1830s. When search suggestions are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. "We were turning over in the wagon until we fell on our sides then there was panic, cables [everywhere], fire. 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. A teenage survivor who didn't 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. At least 29 people are dead and 85 injured after a commercial train and a passenger train collided and derailed in Greece on Tuesday. Our carriage didnt derail, but the ones in front did and were smashed, he said, visibly shaken. It is a priority for CBC to create products that are accessible to all in Canada including people with visual, hearing, motor and cognitive challenges. The wagon started to spin and then it ended up on its side and we got out. 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. Ambulances from several nearby towns were called in to take injured passengers to hospitals, while rescue workers continued to work in the thick smoke. 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. Why, with todays technology that has existed for many years, should so many lives hang on a human hand?. An intercity passenger train collided at high speed with a cargo train outside the city of Larissa. Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou broke off an official visit to Moldova to visit the scene, laying flowers beside the wreckage. Fire Service Officials said 32 people were killed and at least 85 were injured. 1894 shipwreck found in Lake Huron, confirming "powerful, tragic story", Bipartisan Senate group unveils rail safety bill in response to Ohio derailment, What to know about Shigella bacteria as drug-resistant strain spreads, Greece train crash is deadliest in decades. Karamanlis said the Greek railway system was not up to 21st-century standards when he took office. ", Vassilis Polyzos, a local resident who said he was one of the first people on the scene, said both trains were completely destroyed.. Many of the passengers were students returning to Thessaloniki from Carnival, but officials said but no detailed passenger list was available. Greece's firefighting service said some 66 people were hospitalized, including six in intensive care. Many of the victims were thought to be university students. 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. "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. "Our carriage didn't derail, but the ones in front did and were smashed," he said, visibly shaken. (Video: The Washington Post). 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. (AP) The incident took place in Tempe, near the north of Athens. Unfortunately, I have to interrupt my visit in order to be close to my people, to support those who need it, she told a joint news conference in the Moldovan capital, Chisinau, alongside Moldovan President Maia Sandu. The crash killed at least 26 people and injured at least 85 people. Police said several carriages came off the rails, with at least three of them catching fire. We found a hole and from there we managed to get out. What appeared to be the third carriage lay atop the clumped remains of the first two. 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. Ive never seen anything like this in my entire life. "There were many big pieces of steel," said Vassilis Polyzos, a local resident who was one of the first people on the scene. "We are living through a tragedy. 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. 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. 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. Man survives month lost in Amazon by eating insects, drinking urine. A passenger train travelling from Athens to the northern city of Thessaloniki collided with a freight train outside Larissa just before midnight. Government officials said the army has been asked to help with the rescue. There's debris flung all around the crash site.". Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem. First and foremost, our thoughts today are with the relatives of the victims. Survivors said some passengers were thrown from the train car windows on impact. Greeces firefighting service said some 66 people were hospitalized, including six in intensive care. At least 32 people are reported to have been killed and dozens injured after two trains collided in Greece. At least 32 people have been killed and 85 others injured in a train collision in central 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. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn, and work. 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. Kostas Karamanlis, Greeces transport minister, resigned after visiting the site of the crash, sayinghe felt it was his duty to step down. "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. The Greek army has been called in to assist in the rescue effort. The cargo train had been travelling from Thessaloniki to Larissa. 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. Why did Twitter suspend Sen. Mike Lees personal account? He said dazed and disoriented people were escaping out of the train's rear cars as he arrived. The cause of the deadliest rail crash in Greece in decades remained unclear. They are in very bad condition. 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. 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. We are going to be here all night, until we finish, until we find the last person, a volunteer rescue worker told state broadcaster ERT. Another passenger car appeared to be mangled as a crane slowly began lifting it. In these 3.5 years, we have made every effort to improve this reality, he said as he announced his resignation. Opinion: We are in a new cold war. More than 200 people who were unharmed in the crash or suffered minor injuries were transported by bus to Thessaloniki, 130 kilometresto the north. Rail operator Hellenic Train reported about 350 people had been on the passenger train, which left Athens at 7.22pm (19:22 GMT). The train from Athens to Thessaloniki was carrying 350 passengers, many of them students returning from raucous Carnival celebrations. By subscribing, you agree to SBSs terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS. Officials said this included university students returning home after a long holiday weekend marking the beginning of Greek Orthodox lent. Rescue crews illuminated the scene with floodlights before dawn on Wednesday as they searched frantically through the twisted, smoking wreckage for survivors. Passengers killed, dozens injured in fiery Greece train crash. 1837 Seaboard and Roanoke Railroad collision, Suffolk, Virginia; 3 killed plus dozens injured. 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. "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. Were sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. A derailed passenger train is seen following a collision with a cargo train in the Tempe valley near Larissa, Greece, March 1, 2023. "People, naturally, were scared - very scared," he said. ", "The front section of the train was smashed. A drone video shows plumes of smoke rising from derailed cars after two trains collided near the city of Larissa in northern Greece on March 1. "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. Associated Press reported reported that 350 passengers were on board the passenger train that was heading northbound from Athens to 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. Police said the 59-year-old stationmaster in Larissa was arrested, and a further two people detained for questioning. Emergency services from nearby towns were deployed to help with rescue efforts. 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