[InTime News]
Christos Papadimitriou, president of the Greek Air and Rail Safety Investigation Authority (EODASAAM), rejected allegations of a deliberate cover-up following the deadly February 2023 train crash in Tempe.
Responding to claims of a coordinated effort to hide evidence, he said, “No one has testified to such a cover-up. We received the full investigation file from the judicial authorities.”
Papadimitriou acknowledged that crucial evidence was lost, which could have helped determine if any illegal actions occurred. However, he dismissed suggestions of a planned cover-up, stating, “The investigation was mishandled. There was a lack of expertise in dealing with a rail disaster. It was treated as a routine traffic accident, despite the unique nature of the incident.”
Regarding the destruction of evidence at the crash site, he explained that efforts to restore the area and resume traffic were the main factors behind the loss. “Had EODASAAM been involved, this would not have happened,” he noted.
Papadimitriou also denied any political interference in the investigation. “No one called me to influence the investigation. If we wanted to hide something, we wouldn’t have invited the top European experts to investigate,” he added.
He highlighted that the stationmaster, who had only one month of experience, had been overwhelmed with communications and failed to prevent the fatal mistake.