Immense sadness but also anger after a train disaster: twin sisters and their niece among the victims

While the first victims of the train disaster have been buried in Greece, protests are also increasing. Young people, especially students, are taking to the streets en masse. Because this drama could have been avoided if investments had been made in infrastructure and safety. Meanwhile, the first victims are also getting a face. One family has been particularly hard hit, they lost three young women.

It has been restless for days in Athens and Thessaloniki, among others. Silent protest marches invariably end in disturbances. The police use tear gas. Young people demand that the government invest in a safe rail network. They have the support of the entire population. Wish balloons were released for the victims on both Friday and Saturday evening.

The station master of Larissa appeared before the investigating judge on Saturday. He remains detained. “He may have made a mistake that led to the drama. But it is politics that has butter on its head,” it sounds.

The balance now stands at 57 dead, but people are still fighting for their lives. Today we said goodbye to the first victims.

Athina Katsara, a 34-year-old mother of a baby boy, was the first to be buried in her hometown of Katerini, in northern Greece. Her husband, who was on the train with her, is still seriously injured in hospital. A family member asked during the farewell that lessons be learned from this drama that has plunged so many families into deep mourning.

In Kalambaka, a family was particularly hard hit. Twin sisters Thomi and Chrysa Plakias and their niece Anastasia were killed. They sat next to each other on the train.

The twentysomethings studied in Thessaloniki, but during the carnival weekend they decided to go home to their family in Kalambaka. On the way back to their student room, they crashed.

They were in one of the wagons that caught fire.

DNA testing was used to identify their bodies.

Their parents Nikos and Dimitris Plakias, owners of the famous tavern “Gardenia” in Kastraki, immediately went to Larissa as soon as they heard the news about the accident. When they were asked to provide DNA there, they immediately knew that they had to expect bad news.

The family was not allowed to see their bodies again, they were too horribly mutilated for that.

Not all victims have been identified yet, as it turned out on Saturday.

For many families, the wait is becoming unbearable. Mirella Ruci, whose 22-year-old son Denis remains missing, has been waiting at the morgue for two days now. “My son is not on any official list so far and I have no information. I beg anyone who has seen him, in train car 5, seat 22, to contact me if they have seen him.”

And so there are more parents who wait in vain again about their son or daughter.