A Greek rail official charged over the nation’s worst practice catastrophe, which left 57 useless final month, was launched on bail on Monday, his lawyer stated.
The man, a stationmaster whose identify has not been given by judicial officers, was launched after posting bail of 10,000 euros ($10,780) and should report back to his native police station twice a month, his lawyer Sotiria Hatzidimitriou instructed reporters within the metropolis of Larissa.
He faces prices together with endangering transport security and negligent murder, which carry a possible life sentence.
Investigators are attempting to find out whether or not the suspect went residence early, leaving a much less skilled stationmaster alone on Feb. 28 after a public vacation, one of many busiest nights of the 12 months when it comes to practice site visitors.
Shortly afterward, a passenger practice and a freight practice collided head-on after operating on the identical monitor for a number of miles.
Most of the victims have been college college students coming back from a protracted vacation weekend.
Greece’s transport minister resigned, and the catastrophe sparked weeks of offended and infrequently violent protests, piling stress on Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis forward of elections anticipated in May.
The most important stationmaster on responsibility in the course of the accident has been positioned on pretrial detention for a similar prices.
Two different railway officers – a 3rd stationmaster and a supervisor – have additionally been charged in reference to the catastrophe and are to testify this week.
Greece’s rail watchdog discovered critical security issues throughout the community, together with insufficient fundamental coaching for vital workers.
Railway unions had lengthy warned the community was underfunded, understaffed and accident-prone after a decade of spending cuts.
Source: www.dailysabah.com
