Tempi train crash trial: Survivors recount harrowing moments

The trial regarding the Tempi train collision continued at the Larissa Three-Member Court of Appeals, featuring harrowing testimonies from survivors and relatives of the victims.

Survivors described the immediate aftermath of the crash, including intense flames, thick smoke, and the struggle to escape through windows in total darkness. One passenger, Maria Lazaridou, experienced a panic attack during her testimony while recounting her efforts to find her six-month-old baby amidst the fire and chaos. Her mother, Ioanna Papagiannidou, described the scene as “hell,” noting the difficulty in breathing due to smoke and the desperate attempts of passengers to climb out of windows to escape.

Family members of the deceased also provided emotional statements. Anastasios Tamatzidis, father of a victim, characterized the railway system as a “time bomb” and called for exemplary punishment for those responsible, describing the incident as a crime. Another witness, Georgios Kottas, emphasized that the failure of signaling systems was a criminal factor in the disaster. Witnesses also noted significant delays in the trains' schedules prior to the collision.