The Tempe 57: A father’s fight for justice after Greece’s worst train crash

Each night at 11:18pm — the exact time the 2023 Tempe train crash occurred — relatives of the victims gather outside the Greek Parliament to read aloud the names of the 57 people who died. The ritual has become a focal point for collective mourning and public pressure on authorities to resolve outstanding questions about the disaster.

Panos, an immigrant father who lost his 23-year-old son Dennis in the crash, has emerged as a prominent figure within the families’ campaign. He stands with others at the nightly commemorations and has helped lead protests aimed at forcing a full accounting of what happened and who should be held responsible.

Three years after the accident, investigators and relatives remain at odds over the official response. Families and campaigners have raised allegations of safety failures and reported instances of missing evidence, and these unresolved issues have deepened anger and distrust as the long-awaited trial approaches.

The crash and the families’ ongoing fight for answers are the subjects of a documentary film titled The Tempe 57, directed by Anna Prokou and Nina Maria Pashalidou. The film documents the bereaved relatives’ activism and the broader efforts to secure accountability in the wake of the disaster.