The death toll for the train crash late Tuesday night has now risen to 43, officially making it the worst train collision in Greeces history. The previous worst was in 1968, when 34 people died in a crash. As of Wednesday night, 57 people remain hospitalized, 6 of which are in intensive care.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the crash was “mainly due to a tragic human error”, without explaining what said error was. He has called for a full and independent investigation. The local stationmaster has been arrested, and will face formal charges on Thursday, though he has denied responsibility.
The Greek train workers union has called for a 24-hour strike for Thursday March 2nd. They protest what they say is severe neglect of the nations aging railway system by the government.
“Unfortunately, our long-standing demands for staff hirings, better training and above all use of modern safety technology always end up in the wastepaper basket” -A statement from the Union
Protests led by leftist groups in Athens resulted in minor clashes with police mate Wednesday night. Though dumpsters were set on fire and rocks were thrown, no injures are reported.
Kind words and condolences have flown in from around the world, including from Pope Francis and President Erdogan of Turkey.
