Investigating judge Sotiris Bakaimis has ordered an inquiry into the authenticity of newly emerged footage, allegedly showing the course of a freight train before it collided with a passenger train near Tempe Valley on February 28, 2023. The collision resulted in the worst rail disaster in Greece’s history, claiming the lives of 57 people.
On February 7, experts Apostolos Vasilakos and Stavros Batzopoulos were urgently tasked with examining and certifying the authenticity of the three videos. They are also to investigate whether the footage reveals a tank or other container on the freight train that could indicate the transport of illegal, undeclared cargo.
Technical experts commissioned by the victims’ families argue that the massive explosion following the collision – which killed many survivors of the crash – was caused by a flammable material, though its exact nature has not yet been determined.
Additionally, experts from Ghent University in Belgium, who analyzed samples from the crash site and wreckage, have reportedly concluded that at least 3.5 tons of flammable substances exacerbated the tragedy.
The videos were submitted to judicial authorities last week by lawyer Vassilis Kapernaros, who represents Interstar Security, the security company contracted by the state-run Hellenic Railways Organization (OSE). The company manages the surveillance system that monitors train movements and overall network security. Kapernaros claimed that his client digitally recovered the footage independently, and it was officially handed over to judicial authorities on Wednesday.
The footage is also being analyzed by experts from the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), whose report on the cause of the fireball is expected by the end of the week.
The conservative government has faced intense criticism for allegedly attempting to cover up evidence related to the disaster. In a late January interview, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis backtracked on earlier statements, in which he had been certain that the freight train was not carrying illegal cargo, while once again denying any claims of a cover-up.