At least 43 dead after trains in Greece collide head-on

A passenger train collided head-on with a freight train Tuesday night in Northern Greece. About 350 passengers were aboard the train coming from Athens, most of whom were evacuated safely from the wreckage, Greek officials said. Train cars derailed during the collision and at least three of the cars caught fire. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visited the site Wednesday morning and the government declared three days of national mourning.

What caused the accident? Mitsotakis said “tragic human error” was the primary cause of the crash. Greek Transportation Minister Kostas Karamanlis resigned and said the country’s railways are “not up to 21st century standards.” Officials are still unsure why the trains were on the same track. A station manager in the nearby city of Larissa was arrested Wednesday in connection with the collision, and police have detained two other people for questioning. 

Dig deeper: Read Kevin DeYoung’s column in WORLD Opinions about how Christians can respond to tragedy.