Greek rail inspector detained over train disaster: Court official
A Greek rail inspector was detained on Friday in connection with last month’s train disaster that killed 57 people, a court official said.
The employee, a station manager supervisor, was charged with the crime of “disruption of traffic safety” causing the death of many people, the official said. He is the second employee to be charged after a station master was charged with the same crime over the incident.
The February 28 tragedy exposed decades of safety failings in Greek railways and has put major pressure on the conservative government ahead of national elections.
The rail disaster occurred shortly before midnight when a passenger train crashed head-on into a freight train in central Greece after both were mistakenly left running on the same track.
A stationmaster and three other railway officials have been charged, but public anger has focused on long-running mismanagement of the network and the country has been rocked by a series of sometimes violent mass protests.