Christos Papadimitriou, Deputy President and Chair of the Railway Sector at EODASAAM (Hellenic Aviation and Railway Safety Investigation Agency), has once again backtracked on his stance regarding the committee's report on the tragic train crash in Tempe. On 7 April, he called for the removal of references to the fireball occured immediately after the deadly colission in the committee’s findings. However, during a meeting the following day, he clarified that the mention of the fireball wasn’t removed because it was incorrect but to ensure it is scientifically substantiated before re-inclusion. EODASAAM announced that it would collaborate with Demokritos, a leading research institute, to further validate the explanation, making sure it is scientifically sound and, if possible, irrefutable.

It is worth noting that the EODASAAM report, published on 27 February, pointed out the lack of safety systems and the total neglect of the railway as key causes of the Tempe disaster. In relation to the fireball, the report suggested the possible presence of an unknown fuel, as it seemed unlikely that the fireball was caused by the freight train’s technical equipment, such as silicone oils. On 7 April, Papadimitriou announced that the fireball-related parts of the report would be withdrawn for further confirmation.

At the 8 April EODASAAM meeting, it was stated that they would urgently collaborate with Demokritos and other research institutes to substantiate the causes of the fireball in a way that would make the explanation scientifically sound and, ideally, beyond dispute. Papadimitriou later added that the initial assessment regarding the fireball wasn’t wrong, but needed to be confirmed and certified by academic institutions before being reintegrated into the report.

In addition, the record from the meeting revealed that Papadimitriou had attempted to secure the agreement of the University of Pisa and the University of Ghent to avoid the removal of the relevant section of the report. However, as they did not consent, this move was deemed legally necessary.

Furthermore, an email from Kostas Lakafosis, a member of the Independent Forensic Expert Committee for the Families of Victims (EDAPO), raised concerns about the issue. Papadimitriou had previously claimed that EODASAAM hadn’t received the supporting simulation data from EDAPO to identify the causes of the fireball, despite requests from the investigating judge and two follow-up requests from Papadimitriou. However, the meeting record show that Lakafosis had informed Papadimitriou back in January about EDAPO’s involvement in the University of Ghent’s research on the fireball, though Papadimitriou had not read the email due to the volume of correspondence he receives.

In another part of the meeting, it was confirmed that the involvement of the University of Ghent and EDAO in the investigation was deemed legal but was still considered problematic by some for not ensuring objectivity. Papadimitriou emphasised that a higher academic institution, like Demokritos, should be responsible for any future investigations to guarantee impartiality.

Papadimitriou’s resignation

On 8 April, 2025, Papadimitriou resigned from his position, following the backlash over his inconsistent statements about the fireball. In his resignation letter, he stated that while the EODASAAM report was largely solid, the issue of the fireball required further investigation. He cited personal and family reasons for his resignation and also mentioned receiving threats from foreign actors to halt the investigation. Despite this, he reiterated his commitment to uncovering the truth behind the Tempe tragedy for the victims’ families.

In a radio interview, Deputy Prime Minister of Greece Kostis Hatzidakis criticized Papadimitriou for his inconsistent statements on the fireball, describing them as contradictory. He also noted that aside from the fireball issue, the rest of the EODASAAM report contained valuable recommendations in line with EU directives.

Hatzidakis also hinted at attempts by certain opposition figures to obscure the truth about the incident, suggesting that some had buried their findings in order to protect certain interests. He firmly stated that the government has no intention of covering up the truth but would continue to pursue justice for the victims.

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