Rescuers continued to search among the rubble - today, Saturday - at the site of a collision of two trains in Greece, but the search operation is expected to end later today, while the judiciary granted the station manager an additional period to submit his payments, while information about his inexperience increases in a country that is overwhelmed by a situation. of sadness and anger.
The accident - which occurred last Tuesday - killed at least 57 people and injured dozens, after a passenger train with more than 350 people on board collided with a freight train traveling on the same line.
The disaster in central Greece sparked outrage and protests in various parts of the country, while focus increased on safety standards in the railway system.
The head of the station in the city of Larissa was arrested in connection with the disaster, which the government blamed on "human error", but railway workers said the accident was inevitable due to deficiencies in safety systems and a shortage of staff.
The head of the train drivers' union, Costas Guinedonia, highlighted the gaps in safety standards on the line where the accident occurred.
Union representatives of the Greek Railways sounded the alarm 3 weeks ago, warning that "we will not wait for an accident to see officials shed crocodile tears."
The judiciary and residents want to know why a train carrying 342 passengers and 10 railway workers was allowed to use the same single track as a freight train between Athens and Thessaloniki.
According to Kathimerini newspaper, the judiciary seeks to understand how an inexperienced station manager found himself alone without anyone's supervision at Larisa station for 4 days, when the railway traffic on this line was heavy due to a long weekend for an Orthodox celebration.
Postponement of the appearance of the station manager before the court
The Greek judiciary granted the station director, who admitted his responsibility in the train disaster that killed 57 people in Greece, an additional period of 24 hours for his lawyers to attend the defense file, at a time when information about his inexperience is increasing in a country full of anger.
The Greek judiciary decided to postpone the hearing of this 59-year-old man, who is being pursued by criminal charges that include obstructing transportation and endangering lives.
The man's identity was not revealed, but he only received 40 days of training to become a train station manager.
The investigating judge in Larissa, the city closest to the scene of the accident, will decide at the end of the hearing whether to charge him with "manslaughter by negligence".
The investigation also aims - according to a judicial source - to launch criminal prosecutions, if necessary, against members of the Hellenic Train company's management, the Greek railways, because it is known that the network is outdated.
The police carried out a raid at Larisa station on Friday, and the government decided to assign a committee of experts to investigate the causes of the accident.
The train heading from Athens to Thessaloniki (in the north of the country) was crowded with students returning from a long vacation.
The police said that 54 bodies had been identified among the 56 people reported missing by their relatives, while the grieving families of the victims had vowed to resort to justice.
Railway workers have been on strike for 24 hours since last Wednesday, and they extended the strike for 48 hours on Friday, demanding the government set a clear timetable for implementing safety protocols.
Yesterday, Friday, police clashed with protesters, after two thousand students organized a march in Athens, blocking a road in front of Parliament, to observe a minute of silence. Students also demonstrated in Larissa and Thessaloniki.