Organizers of the Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival said Wednesday that they are canceling their opening ceremony and “all festive events and concerts” related to the event following a tragic train crash in Greece late Tuesday that killed at least 38 people and injured more than 60.
The crash, which occurred in Tempe north of Athens, involved a packed commuter train colliding head-on with a freight train at high speed. The commuter train was traveling from Athens to Thessaloniki.
The festival is scheduled to kick of Thursday and run through March 12.
“Thessaloniki International Film Festival is canceling tomorrow’s opening ceremony, as well as all festive events and concerts scheduled to be held within the framework of the 25th Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival, taking part in the three-day mourning declared following the unprecedented tragedy of the train collision in Tempi,” the festival announced today. “The screenings of the films and Agora’s activities are the Festival’s sole activities to take place.
“In these hours of grief and pain, our thoughts are with the families of the victims, to whom we express our most sincere condolences.”
The search is ongoing to find additional survivors of the crash, which occurred just before midnight local time. The country’s transportation minister has resigned, and the stationmaster at the train’s last stop Larissa has been arrested.
At least 200 survivors were taken by bus to Thessaloniki, about 80 miles north of the crash, as authorities continue to account for all passengers.
