It brings to the public the main news bulletin of SKAI document – shock from the Railway Regulatory Authority to OSE and Hellenic Train to which it is disclosed the incomplete training of station masters. This is a document that was sent just four days before the tragedy in Tempe that claimed the lives of 57 people.

In particular, with only a few months of training and a few days of practice, but also with significant gaps and omissions in the training and examination process, it seems that the station masters are placed in their positions in the OSE, while questions are raised by the fact that the success rates of the candidates reach the 100%

Speaking exclusively to SKAI, committee member from which the 59-year-old remanded stationmaster of Larissa was examined, describes his certification process and points out that the theoretical examination of the 59-year-old was done correctly, however, as he emphasizes, practice differs from theory.

“They answered the questions. We generally asked about the signaling and the authority of the station master and the announcement and even what request we give the train driver when it comes to changing traffic, changing lines and everyone knew. The training was done correctly, that is, the theoretical. But the practice is, whatever you know in theory, the practice is very different and needs a lot of practice” said the 59-year-old examiner and added:

“For example, when I took over a local control, I did a month and a half and I decided to extend it that much to understand it exactly. The theory is as easy to learn as a poem. But the act is different.”

The examinees knew the topics

THE former stationmaster of Volos, Giorgos Apostoleris, speaking to also complains that the candidate station masters they knew the exam topics in advanceas the instructors were simultaneously examiners..

“We’ve been together for six months and I’m still bothering you? Will I reject you? Who has been rejected in the first place. Should the stationmaster in question have been deemed eligible or rejected? Why is he there who judged him? ” wonders Giorgos Apostoleris and adds: “Definitely. This thing cannot be called education. If I should also go to university to become a doctor. And let me be examined by a committee of three who sit for two minutes and evaluate me after they have given me the issues and I say that this bone is white.”

Shock document for insufficient training 4 days before the accident

At the same time, SKAI reveals that the Railway Regulatory Authority had repeatedly sent a letter to OSE and Hellenic Train regarding insufficient training.

In one of these documents that was sent on February 24, 2023, i.e. just four days before the tragedy in Tempi, reference is made to two derailments, on the Lianokladi train and the Tithoreas train on October 10 and 21, where it was established by the relevant reports investigating incidents that were caused by a human factor (incorrect arrangement of the track change by a station master and failure of a false indication of circuit occupancy).

In these documents the Rail Regulatory Authority asks whether the factors that led OSE staff to this have been analyzed and what they may be (lack of training, staff fatigue, other factor) or if measures are to be taken to address them.