The train accident of February 28, 2023 is attributed, based on Hellenic Train’s internal investigation, to an error by the station master, according to the company’s managing director, Maurizio Capotorte, who testified as a witness to the commission of inquiry for “the investigation of the crime of Tempe”

“From the available data, it appears that the stationmaster sent the passenger train on the same line as the freight train, at the height of Larissa,” said Mr. Caportos, answering a question from ND MP, L. Tsavdaridis. He also pointed out that according to the safety procedures in Greece, both trains were boarded by two certified train drivers, who “knew all the regulations, and respected all the railway regulations”. Asked about the medical reasons the passenger train driver was on 40 days of sick leave in 2017, Mr Caporto said records “show that he was absent due to illness but it is not documented why […] We found from the records that he was away for the period mentioned and was then examined by a doctor to enable him to return to duty.”

Responding to a question by SYRIZA MP H. Mamoulakis if Hellenic Train is responsible for the accident, Mr. Capotorto answered in the negative.

When asked by PASOK MP M. Apostolaki about the cause of the fire caused by the collision of the two trains, she said that she addressed an internationally renowned expert and that it was an ignition of the cooling fluids of the transformers carried by the trains, which were running one by one with 150 km and the other with 80 km at the time of their contact. Ms. Apostolaki also asked Mr. Capotortos to provide the maintenance records of the two trains.