32 dead and 85 injured as trains collide in Greece

Wednesday, March 1, 2023

A least 32 people have died and 85 more injured after two trains collided in northern Greek city of Larissa.

A train said to be carrying around 350 passengers hit a freight train travelling in the opposite direction near the city of Larissa late on Tuesday night.

The rescuers have been working through the night to find survivors, the fire service said.

The cause of the crash is not known. The rescue workers are in a desperate search for survivors after a head-on collision between two trains in central Greece killed dozens of people and injured scores.

At least 32 people were killed and more than 85 injured when a passenger train carrying more than 350 people collided with a freight train on Tuesday evening, shortly before midnight, in Tempi, central Greece, near the city of Larissa, the Greek Fire Service said.

Greek public broadcaster ERT said that they just heard a bang… the (train) car started spinning, before ending up sideways when we managed to exit. This was 10 nightmarish seconds with fire, you couldn’t see much from the smoke.

The recovery efforts are underway, with the focus on the first two carriages of the passenger train, the Greek Fire Service said. The death toll is expected to rise.

The passenger train had been traveling from the capital Athens to Thessaloniki, Greece’s second-largest city, which is renowned for its festivals and vibrant cultural life. The collision follows a nationwide carnival at the weekend which ended with a public holiday on Monday.

Greek Fire Service spokesman Vassilis Varthakogiannis said 194 passengers had been taken safely to Thessaloniki and 20 people transferred by bus to the city of Larissa. He added that of the 85 people injured, 53 remained in hospital.

At least 150 firefighters with 17 vehicles and 40 ambulances are involved in the rescue operation, Varthakogiannis said.

« Back to Page

• A small aircraft plane crashes into an Alaskan river

• Japan Airlines flight 516, Coast Guard craft collision: 2nd Update

• Singapore-Kuala Lumpur bus crash ends up in flames

• A woman on a wheelchair survives a train accident

• A 2-year-old child seriously injured after being struck by a train at a New Jersey Amusement Park