Athens, 12 March 2023 (dpa/MIA) - Thousands of people in Athens took to the streets in a renewed demonstration demanding a comprehensive investigation into a rail collision that left 57 dead earlier this month.

The rally, in front of parliament, comes as investigations have revealed a steady stream of problems that have left the Greek rail system in a dilapidated state.

The deadly accident occurred when a freight train collided head-on with a passenger train between Athens and Thessaloniki.

There were 342 passengers and 10 railroad employees on the passenger train plus two drivers on the freight train. The trains crashed near the town of Larissa in central Greece.

"This crime will not be covered up!" said the public service union, one of the groups that called for the demonstration.

The stationmaster in the city of Larissa allegedly made the crucial mistake and sent a passenger train onto the same track as an oncoming cargo train. He is the only person so far in custody.

The man was underqualified and had started his training as a stationmaster even though he had passed the age limit for new trainees, Greek media have reported.

At the same time, the electronic control and safety systems did not work or worked only partially, so that the human error could not be compensated by the technology.

Demonstrators said the stationmaster cannot be held solely responsible for the accident. The judiciary must uncover all the failures of the politicians and the state-owned railway company OSE.

The railway system had been criminally neglected by all governments in the past decades.

If the system had been in good working order, the stationmaster's error would not have been possible, they say.