'It will be very difficult to find survivors, due to the temperatures that developed in the carriages,' 40-year old rescuer Constantinos Imamidis said. ViaMichelin provides details of incidents that may affect road traffic in Greece that include: road closures, lane restrictions, accidents, roadworks, weather, special events (e.g. Dozens dead after devastating train crash in Greece New York Daily News Train debris lies on the rail lines after a collision in Tempe, about 376 kilometers (235 But the crash clearly struck a nerve. Hellenic Train is operated by Italys FS Group, which runs rail services in several European countries. TEMPE, Greece (AP) Rescuers searched Wednesday through the burned-out wreckage of two trains that slammed into each other in northern Greece, killing at least 36 people and crumpling several carriages into twisted steel knots. We've received your submission. It was the countrys deadliest rail crash on record. Read Boulevard and Dorsey Road/Vintage Lane. A crane, firefighters and rescuers operate after a collision in Tempe near Larissa city, Greece, Wednesday, March 1, 2023. The European Union, of which Greece is a member, has binding rules on rail safety, including on conditions for issuing safety certificates for train companies, an obligation for member nations to set up national railway safety authorities and independent bodies for investigating accidents. The transport minister had visited the site of the crash just hours before tendering his resignation. Forsythe, who served as chief for less than a year, resigned from his job several days after the crash. (Giannis Papanikos/AP), Smoke rises from trains as firefighters and rescuers operate after a collision near Larissa city, Greece, early Wednesday, March 1, 2023. Greece had already stood out in Europe for the lack of safety on its rail network. A motorcyclist went to the hospital with serious injuries Friday. 'The collision was like a huge earthquake.'. Hellenic Train, which operates all of Greece's passenger and cargo trains, including those that collided, offered its "heartfelt condolences" to the victims' families. Nicosia said two Cypriots were among the missing. The media network attributed the problems to unsafe level crossings, poor infrastructure and traffic management systems, and understaffed companies. Play it now! TEMPE, Greece A passenger train collided with an oncoming freight train in northern Greece, killing at Karamanlis resigned Wednesday, saying he felt it was his "duty" to step down. WebViaMichelin provides details of incidents that may affect road traffic in Greece that include: road closures, lane restrictions, accidents, roadworks, weather, special events (e.g. Police arrested At least 38 people are dead in Tempe, Greece after a passenger train carrying hundreds of people struck an oncoming freight train at high speed. law, the European Commission could start legal proceedings against the government in question. Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group, Beaming Prince Harry and Meghan enjoy a date night at exclusive $4,200-A-YEAR private members' club in LA - as friend claims they've been left furious over King Charles' 'cruel' decision to evict them from Frogmore Cottage, Biden LAUGHS at claim he was responsible for fentanyl overdoses of two brothers and says they died 'under the previous administration' - after mom's heartbreaking testimony to Congress. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. As dawn broke, the full scale of the devastation became clear, The site of a crash, where two trains collided, is seen near the city of Larissa, Greece, March 1, 2023. The union representing train workers announced a 24-hour strike for Thursday, while protests by left-wing groups broke out in Athens late Wednesday. A train carrying hundreds of passengers has collided with an oncoming freight train in northern Greece, killing at least 36 people and injuring dozens of passengers. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. 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, it said in a statement. Emma Bubola contributed reporting from London, and Monika Pronczuk from Brussels. This coverage is only possible with support from our readers. Greeces firefighting service said 57 people remained hospitalized late Wednesday, including six in intensive care. A teenage survivor who did not give his name to reporters said that just before the crash he felt sudden braking and saw sparks and then there was a sudden stop. In Athens, several hundred members of left-wing groups marched late Wednesday to protest the train deaths. Minor clashes broke out as some protesters threw stones at the offices of Greece's rail operator and riot police, and set dumpsters on fire. No arrests or injuries were reported. There were many big pieces of steel, said Vassilis Polyzos, a local resident who said he was one of the first people on the scene. (Giannis Papanikos/AP), Debris of trains lie on the rail lines as firefighters operate after a collision in Tempe, about 376 kilometres (235 miles) north of Athens, near Larissa city, Greece, Wednesday, March 1, 2023. At first, a Greece police spokesman said Forsythe swerved to avoid striking a deer crossing the road just north of the Ridgeway Avenue exit. Michael Wood, a deputy commissioner at the state Division of Criminal Justice Services who also previously worked for the Rochester Police Department for two decades, is set to begin his role as chief next week. Sickening CCTV footage has revealed the moment two trains collided in Greece in a horror smash that killed more than 40 people in the country's worst rail tragedy. He said windows shattered, showering riders with glass. The death toll from the collision of two trains in central Greece rose on Wednesday as authorities announced that at least 36 people had been This number was later revised to say that 38 people had been killed. Town Supervisor Bill Reilich requested an external investigation. This is a terrible tragedy that is hard to comprehend, said Deputy Health Minister Mina Gaga. In addition, traffic flow (green: smooth traffic, red: traffic jams, orange: slow moving traffic, black: road closed) is available on the map. Firefighters collect a body after a collision in Tempe, about 376 kilometers (235 miles) north of Athens, near Larissa city, Greece, Wednesday, March 1, 2023. The crash occurred at 1:30 p.m. Greece police and North Greece firefighters first responded to the scene, but turned the investigation over to the State Police. If you use a windshield cover, you can at least forget about scrapping the ice off your windshield to save some time and hassle. Incredible moment Air Force breaks ship IN HALF with a single 2,000 pound 'quick sink' bomb dropped by F-15E Strike Eagle with 'torpedo-like' accuracy, Philadelphia coach Nick Sirianni downs shots with fans in a New Jersey bar following chant of 'E-A-G-L-E-S Eagles' two weeks after his team's Super Bowl LVII defeat by the Chiefs, Kevin Durant scores 23 points on his Phoenix Suns debut as he helps his new team snap the Charlotte Hornets' five-game winning streak, At least 40 people are confirmed dead with more than a dozen still missing, A passenger train suffered a head-on collision with a cargo train near Larissa, Several dozen people are killed and at least 85 are injured in horrific head-on train crash in Greece - READ MORE. The fire service said that there had been two people on the freight train and 342 passengers and 10 railway staff members on the passenger train. Follow her onTwitter @vfreileand Instagram @vfreile. Our carriage didnt derail, but the ones in front did and were smashed, he said, visibly shaken. The crash occurred at 1:30 p.m. Greece police and North Greece firefighters first responded to the scene, but turned the investigation over to the State Police. The army was assisting with the rescue operation, and the Greek minister for civil protection, Christos Stylianides, was coordinating the states response. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis was to visit the scene later in the day. A passenger train carrying hundreds of people, including many university students returning home from holiday, collided at high speed before midnight Tuesday with an oncoming freight train. ViaMichelin routes take into account the impact of road traffic on your journey time. That investigation is still in progress. The Greek police on Wednesday afternoon arrested the station manager in Larissa, about 20 miles south of the crash site, without giving a reason. Rail operator Hellenic Train said the northbound passenger train to Thessaloniki, Greeces second-largest city, had about 350 passengers on board. But experts and critics quickly raised their voices on Wednesday. He said it was a 'terrible train accident without precedent' in Greece which would be 'fully' investigated. Firefighters operate after a collision in Tempe near Larissa city, Greece early Wednesday, March 1, 2023. WebMonroe County, NY - 911 Incidents 911 Incidents This page is designed as a hazard and traffic avoidance warning system, and is NOT meant as an avenue to obtain police 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. The European Union Agency for Railways is responsible for setting up safety standards in collaboration with the national authorities and for monitoring and reporting on rail safety across the bloc. Many of the victims were thought to be university students returning home after a long holiday weekend, and officials said the death toll was expected to rise further. GREECE, N.Y. (WROC) Interim Greece Police Chief Jason Helfer was hospitalized Wednesday, after a crash on Kuhn Road. He used a bag to break the window of his car, the fourth, and escape. Gogakos said the crash felt like an explosion, and some smoke entered the carriage. Greek news media reported that the station manager had directed the freight train onto the same track as the passenger train, but the authorities declined to confirm or deny those reports. On Wednesday, the government declared three days of national mourning. (Giannis Papanikos/AP), Train debris lies on the rail lines after a collision in Tempe, about 376 kilometers (235 miles) north of Athens, near Larissa city, Greece, Wednesday, March 1, 2023. Helena Smith in Athens. The fire department had earlier increased the death toll to 47, adding that 57 people were still hospitalised, six of them in intensive care, while several were missing. They said others fought to free themselves after the passenger train buckled, slamming into a field near the gorge, about 235 miles north of Athens. WebGreece, NY (August 16, 2022) At least one person sustained various injuries on Tuesday evening, August 16 th, after an automobile accident in the town of Greece. After sunrise, rescuers turned to heavy machinery to start moving large pieces of the trains, revealing more bodies and dismembered remains. All your travel news: our automobile, motorcycle and tyre tips and good deals, routes, traffic updates and road network flashes, motoring services on your route and future innovations. Eight rail employees were among the dead, including the two drivers of the freight train and the two drivers of the passenger train, according to Yannis Nitsas, president of the Greek Railroad Workers Union. A train with over 300 passengers on board collided with a freight train. ET. Wood will officially be sworn in as chief on January 15th. Students take part in a protest following a deadly train accident on February 28, 2023, near the city of Larissa, central Greece where 38 people died, outside the Yiannis Ditsas, head of the Greek rail workers union, told Greek television that the two trains had raced toward each other for 12 minutes before colliding. Pope Francis offered condolences to the families of the dead in a message sent to the president of the Greek bishops conference by the Vaticans secretary of state. A teenage survivor who did not give his name to reporters said that just before the crash he felt strong braking and saw sparks then there was a sudden stop. Windows were shattering and people were screaming, a young man, who was not identified, told a television crew after surviving the crash. Transport Minister Kostas Karamanlis makes statements to the media during his visit at the location of a collision of the train in Tempe, about 376 kilometers (235 miles) north of Athens, near Larissa city, Greece, Wednesday, March 1, 2023. They are in very bad condition.". The crash which injured Helfer came less than a month after the departments former chief, Drew Forsythe, pleaded guilty to charges including DWAI for an October crash. 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. Weather 0C Monday -4 | -2C Tuesday -7 | -4C Wednesday -9 | -3C This is an indescribable tragedy, government spokesman Giannis Oikonomou said, adding that 500 workers from emergency services were at the scene of the crash. Greeks began to look for answers. According to New York State Police, Helfer was driving his department-issued vehicle westbound when another driver traveling eastbound passed a driveway and backed up. At least 36 people are dead and another 85 injured. People donate blood for the injured passengers of the train collision in Larissa, about 355 kilometers (222 miles) north of Athens, Greece, Wednesday, March 1, 2023. GREECE, N.Y. (WROC) Interim Greece Police Chief Jason Helfer was hospitalized Wednesday, after a crash on Kuhn Road. (Giannis Papanikos/AP), Firefighters operate after a collision in Tempe, about 376 kilometers (235 miles) north of Athens, near Larissa city, Greece, Wednesday, March 1, 2023. Firefighters collect bodies after a collision in Tempe near Larissa city, Greece early Wednesday, March 1, 2023. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis called the collision of the passenger train and a freight train a horrific rail accident without precedent in our country, and pledged a full, independent investigation. A passenger train carrying hundreds of people, including many university students returning home from holiday, has collided at high speed with an oncoming freight train. Its unlikely there will be survivors, but hope dies last, rescuer Nikos Zygouris said. Survivors described scenes of horror, with the impact sending passengers hurtling through train car windows or trapping them under buckled cars. The government declared three days of national mourning from Wednesday, while flags flew at half-staff outside all European Commission buildings in Brussels. They wont tell us anything, she added, drawing deeply on a cigarette. First published on Wed 1 Mar 2023 14.23 EST. Michael R. Wood was named as the new chief of the Greece Police Departmentthe day Forsythe pleaded guilty. Television footage showed red cranes looming over the twisted, charred wreckage, as police and rescue workers in fluorescent jackets surveyed the scene. The three-car crash on Stone Road sent four individuals to the hospital, first responders confirmed. As Greece sought to process the tragedy, railway workers nationwide walked off the job on Thursday, saying successive governments had ignored repeated demands to improve safety standards. Train debris lies on the rail lines after a collision in Tempe, about 376 kilometers (235 miles) north of Athens, near Larissa city, Greece, Wednesday, March 1, 2023. It was believed to be the body of one of the train drivers. Pictured:A crane operator, firefighters and rescuers work the scene of the deadly train crash on Wednesday morning. As 85 people were taken to hospitals with injuries, Mr. Mitsotakis hurried to visit the site and trepidation grew about a rising death toll. 'It was the train of terror,' Pavlos Aslanidis, whose son is missing along with a friend, told reporters. Greece Police Helfer, a deputy chief at the Greece Police Department, became the interim chief when Forsythe resigned in late October. In those three and a half years we made every effort to improve this reality. All the information on real-time traffic conditions for Greece with ViaMichelin. The Greece Police Department was criticized after that incident and a number of officers disciplined for their actions or lack of actions in investigating the crash involving their chief. Seventeen biological samples have been collected from remains, and from 23 relatives seeking a match, the police said. The fire service said there had been 342 passengers and 10 railway staff members on the passenger train, and two people on the freight train. If they had been working, the drivers would have seen the red light and the trains would have stopped 500 meters away from each other, he added, noting that he and colleagues had frequently reported malfunctioning systems recently. People, naturally, were scared very scared, he said. Video of the crash, which occurred moments after the passenger train emerged from under a highway underpass, showed the graffiti-scrawled passenger cars derailed, overturned and burned to a shell. While the track is double, both trains were traveling in opposite directions on the same line near the Vale of Tempe, a river valley about 380 kilometers (235 miles) north of Athens. Published Feb. 28, 2023 Updated March 1, 2023, 2:25 a.m. Experts noted that the country already had the worst record for rail safety in Europe and that endemic problems of maintenance had not been addressed for decades, even before austerity measures enforced by Europe after Greeces 2009 financial crisis led to drastic budget cuts. Easy to understand pictograms are displayed on your map. Hopes of finding anyone still alive in the wreckage more than 34 hours later appeared slim. Check out our car rental service and all its many benefits. Officials said the army had been contacted to assist. Here are our tips for making the right choice. (Vaggelis Kousioras/AP), Transport Minister Kostas Karamanlis makes statements to the media during his visit at the location of a collision of the train in Tempe, about 376 kilometers (235 miles) north of Athens, near Larissa city, Greece, Wednesday, March 1, 2023. ET. Scores were injured. Greek news media reported that many of the young passengers had been returning from carnival celebrations in Athens. The three-car crash on Stone Many of the passengers were students returning to Thessaloniki from Carnival, but officials said but no detailed passenger list was available. When buying cowboy boots, there are a few aspects to consider, such as how far up they go on your legs and their design. At least 36 people are dead, and another 85 injured, after a passenger train collided with a freight train overnight on Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023, in central Greece. The train from Athens to Thessaloniki was carrying 350 passengers, many of them students returning fromraucous Carnival celebrations. Costas Agorastos, the regional governor of the Thessaly area, told Greeces Skai Television the two trains collided head-on at high speed. Helfer swerved toavoid a collision, but he lost control of the SUV and struck a telephone pole, according to Greece Police. (Giannis Papanikos/AP), A crane, firefighters and rescuers operate after a collision in Tempe near Larissa city, Greece, Wednesday, March 1, 2023. 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