On Saturday, rescuers were still searching for debris at the site of the biggest railway accident in Greece’s history, but they expect to complete the rescue operation later in the day.
At least 57 people were killed and dozens injured in Tuesday’s collision when a passenger train carrying more than 350 passengers collided with a freight train on the same track.
The catastrophic accident in central Greece has sparked outrage and protests across the country and a re-examination of safety standards in the rail system.
The station master in the nearby town of Larissa has been arrested over the accident, which authorities blame on human error but rail unions say was unavoidable due to a lack of maintenance and faulty signaling.
Railway unions announced a 24-hour strike as of Wednesday. On Friday, they extended the strike for 48 hours, demanding a clear timetable from the government to implement security protocols. On Friday, police and protesters clashed as 2,000 students took to the streets of Athens, blocking the road outside parliament where they held a minute’s silence. Students also protested in Larissa and Thessaloniki.
