Kostas Karamanlis has resigned as Greece’s minister for infrastructure and transport, saying in a statement: “When something so tragic happens, it is impossible to continue and pretend like it didn’t happen.”
“This is called political responsibility. For that reason, I announce my resignation as Infrastructure and Transport minister,” he said.
“It is what I feel as a duty to do, as a mark of respect toward the memory of the people who died so unfairly, and taking the responsibility for the Greek state’s and Greek political system’s mistakes over the course of history,” Karamanlis continued.
He added: “From the deepest of my heart, I express my sorrow and my support to the families of the victims.”
At least 38 people have been killed after a passenger train and freight train collided in Greece, in one of the country’s worst rail accidents.
Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis has said in an address to the nation that it appears the accident was due to “tragic human error.”
The local stationmaster has been charged with manslaughter.
Rescuers are continuing to search for survivors at the scene near the city of Larissa.
