For today, Tuesday, March 28, the written apology of K.P., station master of the afternoon shift at the Larissa station hall on the fateful February 28, 2023, is scheduled before the competent Larissa investigator. This is an old and experienced railway worker, who arranged over 30 wires during his service, before handing over the station to the inexperienced and unsuitable Vassilis Samaras.
K.P. he was obliged to stay until 23:00, as stipulated by the shift schedule, but he left much earlier, a few minutes after 22:00. In the shift register, he initially marked as departure time 22:20 and in a second time he corrected the marking with a correction ("Blanco"), writing 22:30. Something that remains incomprehensible, since he would still have left irregularly, violating his schedule by 30 minutes.
The reason why K.P. he left earlier, according to unofficial information, it was to buy junk food (round) for his youngest son, who was at the family home preparing for the Pan-Hellenic exams. In fact, in the observation of his colleague, who asked him "why did you leave Samara alone?" since everyone at OSE Larisa knew that it was inadequate, K.P. he replied something like "and what do you want me to do?" Shall I sit and guard him?'
In the recorded excerpts of the conversations published by Proto THEMA and protothema.gr, K.P. he sounds like someone who is fully aware of his responsibilities as a station master. In a day with successive anomalies and successive problems, with increased load, route delays, etc. K.P. it seems that he is worthy to carry out the difficult and complex task of the station master. However, in some passages he relaxes too much and flirts with colleagues over the office phone, exchanging vulgar jokes or even delivery information.
The contracted station master is free
Yesterday, Monday, March 27th, P.X., the 33-year-old contracted station master, also of the afternoon shift on 28/2/2023, was excused by memorandum. P.X. he was released with restrictive conditions (appearance at the Police Station of his area, prohibition to leave the country). In his memorandum to the investigator, he reportedly claimed that he was employed on a flat rate, service card basis, that he was not a salaried employee and was therefore not allowed to work the night shift or be left alone as a responsible station master.
On the night of the accident in Tempi, P.X. left the Larissa station shortly after 22:00 p.m., having completed his normal 8-hour shift, as planned. P.X. allegedly testified that “the work I provided to OSE was 40 hours per week, 5 days per week, 8 hours per day. Although it was described as a contract of independent services, it was a contract of dependent work, as I was under the direction of superiors. A permanent chief station master, the most senior, hands over the shift and a permanent takes over. The booster does not sign, does not deliver."
Also, P.X. he confessed that “my psychology is not good. I am devastated by the accident. I am sorry that so many people have lost their lives. I have a burden. But I feel relieved with the decision of the judicial authorities. I was supportive. I didn't have the first role in running the trains."
Delay in the resumption of trains
The second phase of the rail network's return to traffic, as originally planned for March 27, has been postponed for an unknown number of days. Therefore, the train schedules currently in operation remain as they have been since March 22.
These are the following connections:
Piraeus - Athens - Airport
Airport - Athens - Piraeus
Ano Liosia - Airport
Airport - Ano Liosia
Source: First issue