Greek Transport Minister Konstantinos Kyrianakis reported a sabotage incident on the Athens-Thessaloniki railway line, which could have had deadly implications, just days before the anniversary of the tragic Tempe rail disaster.
Konstantinos Kyrianakis, the Deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructure in Greece, revealed a recent incident of sabotage on the railway line from Athens to Thessaloniki. He described that unknown individuals caused significant damage to traffic control cables near the Platy station just before the anniversary of the Tempe tragedy. The minister characterized this act as a deliberate attack aimed at endangering lives, as it disrupted crucial communication systems necessary for safe rail operations.
On February 26, during a news briefing, Kyrianakis detailed how the perpetrators went to the extent of breaking through concrete protections specifically designed to safeguard the cables from theft or damage. They meticulously severed these cables using specialized tools, indicating a premeditated effort rather than an opportunistic action. The implications of this sabotage were grave, as it resulted in the failure of the traffic control system at that section of the railway, raising severe safety concerns about rail travel in Greece.
Kyrianakis's remarks highlighted the urgency of the situation, noting that the timing of the attack, so close to the grim anniversary of the deadly rail accident at Tempe, suggested an intention for causing casualties. This incident underscores the vulnerabilities of Greece’s rail infrastructure and prompts a deeper examination of security measures in place to protect essential services. It calls for heightened vigilance and potential strategic responses from authorities to mitigate such risks in the future.
