Police in Greece arrested the station master in the city of Larissa from where the fatal train left on its journey northwards toward Thessaloniki on Tuesday evening.
According to a new update, 38 people lost their lives in the deadliest rail accident ever in Greece.
The 59-year-old station master, who assumed duty in the position only 40 days ago, after a year’s training, is considered responsible for the movement of the trains that ended up on the same track heading in opposite directions.
According to reports, the station master allegedly claimed that he gave an order for the trains to change track but it was not implemented by the system.
He is accused, among others, of manslaughter by negligence, bodily harm by negligence and dangerous interference with transport.
Head-on crash of two trains in central Greece
The passenger train with 350 passengers on board and the cargo train that were involved in the fatal head-on crash at Tempi near the city of Larissa were travelling on the same line.
The northbound passenger train from Athens to Thessaloniki, Greece’s second-largest city, was for some reason on the left hand railway line which is reserved for southbound trains.
Experts say that the train collision in Greece late on Tuesday that led to the death of at least 36 people was probably caused by human error due to the fact that the electronic systems onboard trains “have not been working for years.”
This is a breaking news story; more to follow.
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