PM Barzani saddened by deadly train crash in Greece
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Thursday extended his condolences to the victims of Tuesday’s deadly train crash in Greece.
“Saddened by the recent tragedy in Larissa, Greece,” PM Barzani said, "I extend my condolences to the families of the victims and wish the wounded a speedy recovery.
As a result of a head-on collision between two trains in the central part of the European country, 38 people have died, while dozens more were injured.
The incident is considered the worst train crash that Greece has ever seen.
While an investigation into the matter has begun, a local station chief has been arrested, according to the police.
"We were turning over in the carriage until we fell on our sides and until the commotion stopped. Then there was panic. Cables, fire. The fire was immediate. As we were turning over we were being burned. Fire was right and left,” Stergios Minenis, a 28-year-old passenger, who survived the crash, told BBC.
"For 10, 15 seconds, it was chaos. Tumbling over, fires, cables hanging, broken windows, people screaming, people trapped,” he recalled.
Saddened by the recent tragedy that happened near Larissa, Greece.
— Masrour Barzani (@masrourbarzani) March 2, 2023
My thoughts are with the victims and their families and I wish the injured a speedy and full recovery.
Video footage of the accident shows the moment when the two trains collided. The train was carrying more than 300 passengers, most of them in their twenties, heading to Thessaloniki from Athens.
The Greek government has declared a three-day national mourning across the country.