The Prosecutor of the Supreme Court, Georgia Adelini, has launched an urgent preliminary investigation into the disappearance of security camera footage from the night of the Tempe train collision. The missing material reportedly includes video recordings from the Thessaloniki engine room where the commercial train involved in the crash was loaded.

Adelini’s order tasks the Larissa First Instance Prosecutor with determining why the critical visual evidence was not delivered to the appellate investigator handling the Tempe case. The investigation aims to ascertain whether criminal acts were committed, with a deadline of one month to complete the examination and report significant findings.

Details of the prosecutor’s letter

In her letter, Adelini highlights reports that the management company responsible for the Thessaloniki railway station failed to provide complete footage of the commercial train’s loading process. This omission, if deliberate, could have obstructed the investigation into the 28 February 2023 accident, which killed 57 people.

The letter states:
“We request an urgent preliminary examination to investigate why the material from the cameras at Thessaloniki railway station was not delivered to the appellate investigator as requested, to determine if any criminal acts were committed. Please complete the investigation within one month and inform us of the findings.”

Political reactions

The development has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties. SYRIZA accused the government of orchestrating a “cover-up plan” from the earliest moments of the tragedy. The party pointed to the missing video as evidence of a broader attempt to suppress key facts, undermining Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’s pledges for full transparency.

SYRIZA stated:
“The missing footage adds another piece to the government’s ‘bungling’ puzzle. It is imperative that justice moves quickly to uncover the reasons behind this omission and ensure full accountability.”

PASOK has also called for swift intervention by the judiciary to address the missing footage, emphasising the need for clarity in investigating the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.

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