Christos Papadimitriou, the president of the EODASAAM (Hellenic Aviation and Railway Safety Investigation Agency), has announced that the organisation will be removing any references to the "fireball" from its report on the Tempe railway disaster. Papadimitriou, who was one of the experts who helped compile and present the report, explained that this decision follows internal discussions.

Disagreement over the release of the report

Papadimitriou revealed that he had initially requested that the report not be published until the corresponding study from the University of Lausanne was completed. However, Bart Accou, a member of the EODASAAM Investigative Committee and a senior official at the European Railways Agency, insisted on releasing the report. He claimed that Accou threatened to hold a press conference accusing the Greek agency of obstructing the European agency’s efforts.

Concerns about scientific accuracy

Papadimitriou expressed concern over the influence of unofficial discussions with experts from Ghent University, which, like Pisa University, distanced itself from the EODASAAM report. Both universities raised objections about how the data was presented. Additionally, the University of Pisa has formally requested that certain sections of the report be removed, as it claims no agreement existed between the institution and the committee.

Clarifications from Ghent University

George Maragos, a researcher from Ghent University, clarified that the university’s experts had never been involved in investigating the disaster nor conducted any simulations for EODASAAM. Their role was limited to providing scientific opinions on three preliminary simulations sent by Mr Lakafosis, which they disagreed with. Maragos pointed out that the university objected to the inclusion of its name in the report due to the misrepresentation of their contributions.

Pisa University weighs in

On Friday, an email from Professor Gabriel Landucci of Pisa University was shared with the members of the Investigative Committee and Papadimitriou. In it, Landucci called for the removal of any references to the university in the report, stating that there was no agreement between the institution and the committee. The email also clarified that a prior communication between Landucci and Bart Accou was private and unrelated to the specifics of the Tempe incident.

EODASAAM’s report still defended

Papadimitriou defended the report, calling it a thorough scientific analysis that includes 17 safety recommendations. He acknowledged, however, that one issue – the “fireball” – remains unresolved. He also mentioned receiving threats but stressed his commitment to pursuing the investigation to its conclusion.

Lakafosis questions the Ghent University allegations

Kostas Lakafosis, the technical advisor for the families of the victims, dismissed the allegations of a dispute with Ghent University, pointing out that no official statement had been made by the university or its researchers. He described reports about a disagreement as sensationalised media headlines.

Technical expert Dedes criticises EODASAAM’s findings

The change in EODASAAM’s stance, particularly regarding the fireball theory, has reignited public debate. Forensic expert Anastasios Dedes, who has suggested that silicone oils may have been a factor in the fireball, strongly criticised EODASAAM’s conclusions, calling them “baseless” and unsupported by evidence.

Dedes argued that without proper evidence, any theory about flammable materials cannot be taken seriously. He pointed to the report from the General Chemical State Laboratory, which showed that silicone oils, when exposed to electrical sparks, produce highly flammable gases such as hydrogen, methane, and acetylene.

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