Revelations about the deadly train collision in Tempi continue to rock Greek headlines.
On Friday, Vassilis Lampropoulos, police editor for NEON and VIMATOS revealed on MEGA TV that police officers were allegedly pressured by government officials to allow the “landfilling” of the crash site just days after the tragedy.
According to Lampropoulos, two police officers testified to having been forced to approve the “landfilling” of the area in the days following the deadly crash. The officials argued that the site needed to be cleared to reopen the railway for services, but Lampropoulos claims that the true intention was to remove evidence from the site, including the wreckage and debris.
This allegation, which was also lodged by independent investigators over a year ago, has led to uproar about the forensic investigation of the crash site, and the potential of a cover-up.
According to Lampropoulos, on March 3, just three days after the crash, a meeting took place between high-ranking government officials and local authorities, where pressure was reportedly applied on police officers to facilitate the removal and “landfilling” of the crash site. The officials involved allegedly included Deputy Minister Christos Triantopoulos, Secretary General of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport Yiannis Xifaras, and Thessaly Regional Governor Kostas Agorastos.
The officers were reportedly told that no expert autopsies were necessary and the site should be cleared immediately. This lack of consultation with judicial authorities and the subsequent clearance of the site has raised suspicions of foul play. Lampropoulos’ sources claim that the removal of debris was a calculated attempt to hinder investigations.
This is not the first time allegations have been made that the site was cleared hurriedly and improperly.
Maria Karystianou, the mother of one of the victims has asserted: “I understood that things were not good at all and that a big cover-up will happen from the second day. It was Thursday when I went to the site and I saw that at the site almost everything had been removed, only one wagon and some debris remained at the edge that they did not let me go to see.”
Kostas Lakafosis, an expert witness commissioned by the families of the victims, stated last year that the site was bulldozed too quickly, and there was a possibility of flammable cargo in the first three wagons of the freight train, due to the size of the blaze and trace amounts found on site.
On January 20 of this year, an independent expert report concluded that 10 tons of flammable liquids were in fact present on the freight train involved in the Tempi crash, leading to the deaths of 30 passengers in flames after the collision. Previously unheard emergency phone calls were also made public, in which victims can be heard screaming for help in the moments after the train crash, crying that they do not have enough oxygen.
The government and train companies have repeatedly denied all allegations regarding flammable liquids on the trains. Hellenic Train, the company responsible for the train services, has issued a statement this week again asserting that there was no flammable or suspicious cargo. They claim that the freight train carried mostly sheet metal, beer, and foodstuffs.
The political fallout from these revelations has rocked Greece. On Sunday tens of thousands of Greeks gathered in protests across the country, accusing the government of a cover-up and demanding further investigations.
On Wednesday the Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis gave a television interview during which he defended the “landfilling” of the site in an interview, claiming that it was necessary for the cranes to stabilize and lift the wreckage, and for the first time admitting that there was a possibility of flammable substances on the train. He was slammed by opposition lawmakers for flip-flopping and accused of aiding in a cover-up.
Also on Friday, the Prosecutor’s Office summoned the former CEO of the Hellenic Train, Maurizio Kapotorto, to provide explanations concerning allegations of false testimony—specifically, the presentation of inaccurate information during his examination before the relevant Inquiry Committee examining the Tempi disaster.
Lawmakers have agreed to again debate the Tempi issue on the parliament floor, and the governing New Democracy has urged for understanding, stating that the judicial investigation into the tragedy will conclude soon.
