Tensions ran high as proceedings began in the long-awaited main trial over the Tempi rail disaster, one of Greece's deadliest transport tragedies. The hearing, held in a specially adapted courtroom in Larissa, drew an overwhelming turnout amid public calls for accountability.
The courtroom was packed beyond capacity with victims' relatives, survivors, witnesses, lawyers, and journalists. Additional screens were arranged throughout the building to handle the large crowds, with a heavy police presence both inside and outside the venue.
Beyond the fatal collision between a passenger and a freight train on the same track, the trial is expected to examine broader systemic failures within Greece's railway network and scrutinise accountability at multiple levels of the country's rail system, uncovered during a two-and-a-half-year investigation from March 2023 to August 2025. Over 350 witnesses are scheduled to testify, including passengers, relatives of victims, expert witnesses, forensic specialists, and officials from key railway bodies such as OSE and ERGOSE.
The trial is expected to be lengthy, prompting authorities to move proceedings from the Larissa courts to a specially adapted venue on the University of Thessaly's campus, designed to accommodate the large number of participants and public interest. The main courtroom houses the judges, defendants, and legal teams, while additional spaces and screens have been set up for journalists and observers.
A total of 36 individuals are on trial before the three-member felony appeals court. Of these, 33 face serious felony charges that could lead to life imprisonment. The main charge involves "dangerous interference with rail transport with possible intent," relating to actions that endangered public safety and caused multiple deaths, serious injuries, and extensive infrastructure damage.
Those accused include the station master on duty the night of the crash, whose actions allegedly put the passenger train on a collision course, as well as other station staff from earlier shifts. Senior figures from OSE and ERGOSE, including former executives, directors, and engineers, are also among the defendants, alongside officials from the rail regulator and the transport ministry. Additionally, two senior executives from Hellenic Train face misdemeanour charges of negligent homicide and bodily harm, while an OSE employee is charged with breach of duty.
Relatives and legal representatives said they expected "the proper delivery of justice" as demonstrators gathered, chanting slogans and holding photographs of those who lost their lives. However, tensions escalated almost immediately after the three-member felony appeals court convened.
The presiding judge announced a short recess and asked journalists, camera crews, and photographers to move to a designated media room, prompting strong objections. Lawyers and families argued that media presence was essential to transparency, sparking heated exchanges in the courtroom.
After a brief pause, proceedings resumed but were quickly overshadowed by renewed protests. Families and lawyers criticised the venue as "extremely unsuitable and degrading," arguing that many directly involved in the case could not enter due to overcrowding. Safety concerns were also raised.
Emotions ran particularly high among families of victims, some of whom shouted that the situation was "an insult" to the dead and that the setting failed to honour their relatives' memories. Several rejected the term "accident," insisting instead that the disaster be recognised as a "crime". As arguments continued, the presiding judge called for another recess.
By Kiki Tsani - adapted from Greek by Vassia Barba
