Protests targeted the offices of the Greek railway company, Hellenic Train, in Athens. SOCRATES BALTAGIANNIS/ANADOLU AGENCY/GETTY IMAGES

Train collision: Protesters strike as death toll rises

Anger poured in Greece on Thursday (March 2) as the death toll from the recent train collision soared to 57. The strike came after the head-on collision between a passenger train carrying more than 350 people and a cargo train evening on Tuesday (February 28) in Tempi. Organized by students and worker unions, the protesters gathered outside Hellenic Train's headquarters. According to the Greek Federation of rail workers, the demonstration highlighted the poor working conditions and chronic understaffing. It accused the federal government of "disrespect" towards railways for causing the crash, saying "more permanent staff, better training and mainly the implementation of modern security systems, are permanently thrown in the bin." The Greek metro workers also expressed dissent as they announced another separate demonstration. "There are no words to describe such tragedy," the workers said. Search and rescue operations will continue today (March 3) as relatives of those missing are still waiting for their loved ones. According to the 2022 report from European Union Agency for Railway, Greece has a weak record of railway passenger safety in Europe, recording the highest railway fatality rate per million train kilometers from 2018 to 2020. RZSP/Expat Media ALSO READ: Greece train collision: 43 killed, transport minister resigns
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