The parents of Kyprianos Papaioannou, a Cypriot law student killed in the Tempi rail disaster, delivered emotional testimony as relatives of victims began taking the stand in the ongoing trial.
Kyprianos, a law student at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, had been planning to marry his fiancée in August 2023. His parents described him as a devoted young man with a strong faith, deep love for Greece and clear plans for the future.
"He took the train to save money for his wedding"
His father, Father Christodoulos Papaioannou, told the court that his son had chosen to travel back to Thessaloniki by train rather than by plane after the Carnival holiday period in order to save money ahead of the wedding.
"He was a child of obedience and joy," he told the court, describing his son's character, military service and commitment to his faith and homeland.
Calls for answers about the explosion
Father Christodoulos also recounted learning of the disaster and travelling to Larissa to receive his son's body.
In his testimony, he said that when he opened the coffin he observed burns on his son's body and detected what he described as a chemical smell. He questioned the official explanations for the fire and explosion that followed the collision and urged the court to establish their precise cause.
"With that collision, the head of my existence was cut off," he said.
The priest told the court that he remained convinced his son's death occurred after the impact and raised questions about the source and intensity of the fireball generated by the crash.
Questions over forensic findings
Papaioannou also said he had commissioned testing on his son's wallet, which had been recovered from his burned jacket, and claimed the results revealed the presence of various chemical substances.
He urged the court to clarify outstanding questions surrounding the freight train's cargo and the cause of the explosion and fire.
The testimony concluded with the father showing photographs of Kyprianos before and after the crash.
The trial continued with testimony from the mother of another victim, Gerasimos.
Source: ANA-MPA
