TIRANA, March 1, 2023 – Several citizens of Albania are among those wounded in the massive collision between a passenger train and a freight train that killed at least 38 people and injured another 85, officials with the Albanian embassy in Athens told local media.
The collision occurred 32 km from Larissa in northern Greece. Greek news media reported that a station manager had directed the freight train onto the same track as the passenger train before they collided late Tuesday. The manager has been arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter, according to media reports.
Two Albanians citizens are in intensive care, but there are no reports of fatalities, embassy officials on the scene of the accident told local media.
Albanians on the train ranged from students going back to their university to people working on the train, according to local media reports.
-Albania sends condolences-
Several Albanian officials issued public statements of condolences.
“So sad to hear about the loss of lives and the many wounded people in last night’s tragic accident in Greece! We feel the pain of our dear neighbors in such a heavy hour for their nation and join them in their prayers and in the condolences to the families of the victims,” Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said in a tweet.
Opposition leader Sali Berisha tweeted: “We send our deepest condolences to the families of the victims and the authorities of the friendly country, and we pray for a speedy and complete recovery for those injured in this accident.”
There are more than 300,000 Albanian citizens living in Greece.
-Official reaction in Greece-
Greek Transportation Minister Kostas Karamanlis resigned, saying it “the minimum sign of respect to the memory of the people who died so unjustly.”
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis also visited the crash site. Earlier, he was quoted as saying the crash was an “unspeakable tragedy.”
Beginning on Wednesday, the Greek government proclaimed three days of mourning, and in Brussels, flags were flown at half-staff in front of EU buildings.
-Trains hit head on-
The passenger train, with roughly 350 people, was moving north from Athens to Thessaloniki, while the cargo train, with a crew of two, was moving south from Thessaloniki to Larissa.
Many of the passengers on the northbound train, according to Greece’s health minister Thanos Plevris, were young adults and college students returning from an event in Athens.
According to the authorities, 250 people who survived the collision unhurt or with minor injuries were taken to Thessaloniki by bus.
Greece has battled with rail safety in recent years, according to the EU.
