The Hellenic Aviation and Railway Safety Investigation Agency (HARSIA) has released its long-awaited report on the tragic railway accident in Tempi, Greece, which claimed 57 lives in February 2023.
The 180-page report was presented at a press conference at the headquarters of the Athens Journalists’ Union ESIEA, attended by key officials from HARSIA and the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA).
HARSIA President Christos Papadimitriou emphasized that the report sought to expose the “stupidity, criminal mistakes, and omissions” that led to the disaster. He underscored the necessity of treating the accident site as sacred immediately after the crash to ensure access to vital investigative information.
The report identified multiple failures contributing to the collision, including human error, chronic underfunding, and systemic weaknesses in railway safety measures. Investigators determined that the two trains were on the same track due to a mistake by the station master on duty that night. The station master, who manually set the passenger train’s course, was found to be inexperienced with the railway’s automated remote management system and was operating under unclear instructions, compounded by a series of technical failures and an overwhelming workload.
A significant point of concern is the massive fireball that erupted after the crash, leading to secondary fires. The report found no evidence linking the technical equipment of the trains to the fire’s intensity. Instead, investigators suggested that an unidentified substance might have been present, prompting further analysis at Greek and international universities.
The report concludes that the Tempi disaster was a preventable tragedy caused by systemic failures in Greece’s railway network. Investigators stress the urgent need for modernized safety protocols, improved infrastructure, and enhanced staff training to prevent future accidents.
The Railway Branch of EODASAAM is the independent National Investigating Body for Greece. It is responsible for investigating accidents and incidents on the national rail network. EODASAAM was established by Part D of Law 5014 in January 2023, with a view to fulfilling Greece’s obligation to establish an independent railway accident investigation body as provided for in Article 20 of the European Railway Safety Directive 2016/798/EC; confirming the obligation that was already introduced with Directive 2004/49/(EC). Law 5014/2023 has been amended by Law 5167/2024.
EODASAAM investigates all serious accidents, defined as any train collision or train derailment resulting in: a) death of one person, b) serious injuries to five or more people and c) extensive damage to rolling stock, infrastructure or the environment. EODASAAM may also decide to investigate accidents and incidents which under different circumstances may have led to serious accidents.
The purpose of the investigations performed by EODASAAM is to improve railway safety by highlighting the causes and contributing factors and issuing recommendations to avoid similar accidents in the future. The objectives of EODASAAM’s investigations and the resulting reports is not about apportioning blame or liability. This is reflected in the methods used to prepare it, the choice of facts collected, the nature of the questions asked and the concepts it uses. Also, any safety recommendation issued reflects responsibilities for improving the railway system does not create a presumption of fault or liability for the investigated accident or incident.
The full Report for Tempi rail accident in English, here.