Train Crash in Greece Kills at Least 36
New York TimesMar 01, 2023
The Facts
At least 40 people were killed after a passenger and cargo train collided head-on outside the town of Tempe in central Greece late on Tuesday.
Sixty-six of at least 85 injured people have been taken to hospitals in nearby Larissa, and about 250 passengers who received minor injuries were evacuated safely to Thessaloniki on buses.
The Spin
Narrative A
Tuesday's accident, unfortunately, highlights Greece's worrying railway safety record, which has the highest overall railway fatality rate among the EU countries. Countless lives will continue to be lost if endemic problems of unsafe level crossings, poor infrastructure and traffic management systems, and understaffed companies aren't addressed.
Narrative B
Despite facing a plethora of problems, Greece's aging railway system is moving towards modernization. While the cause of Tuesday's crash has not been ascertained yet, Greek authorities are moving quickly in their investigation and search and rescue, which, for now, is rightly prioritizing victims and their families.