The proceedings will be held in a specially designed venue at the University of Thessaly, in order to meet the demands of a trial involving dozens of defendants and hundreds of participants.
On the evening of 28 February 2023, the Intercity 62 passenger train travelling on the Athens-Thessaloniki route collided head-on with a freight train in the Evangelismos area.
The toll was devastating: 57 people were killed, most of them young, and hundreds were injured, dozens of them seriously.
A total of 36 people will appear before the Three-Member Court of Appeal for Felonies, while the number of witnesses exceeds 350. More than 200 relatives of victims, survivors and organisations are also expected to attend in support of the prosecution.
The defendants come from across the railway system, including OSE, ERGOSE, Hellenic Train, as well as supervisory authorities and the transport ministry.
Thirty-three of the 36 defendants face felony charges, including dangerous interference with transport with possible intent, multiple counts of manslaughter, and grievous and bodily harm caused by negligence. The charges carry penalties of up to life imprisonment.
The trial is expected to last several months and to attract intense public and media attention. For that reason, increased security measures have been put in place, while special areas have been designated for journalists, lawyers and members of the public.
The proceedings are seen as crucial to assigning responsibility for a tragedy that exposed deep-rooted failings in the Greek railway system and left a profound mark on society.
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