SW News: Pope Francis expressed his sadness over the train crash in Greece in which at least 36 people were killed. He joined the pain of the relatives and friends of the deceased and injured. The Holy Father's message came on Wednesday in a telegram sent on his behalf by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin and addressed to the Head of the Greek Bishops' Conference Bishop Petros Stefanou of Syros.

Expressing the Pope's sorrow and prayers, the statement read, "Entrusting the souls of the deceased to the loving mercy of Almighty God, the Holy Father offers heartfelt condolences to the families who mourn their loved ones."

Pope Francis also imparted his blessings to the injured, the rescue workers, and all those assisting the needy. At least 36 people were killed, and more than 75 were injured in the head-on collision, according to the authorities.

A passenger train and a freight train crashed head-on on the night of February 28 near the Vale of Tempe, a river valley located about 235 miles north of Athens. There were 342 passengers and 10 crew members in the passenger train, with two crew members operating the freight train.

The Greek government has proclaimed three days of national mourning for those who perished in the crash. Decrying the tragic incident after visiting the site, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the accident was due to "tragic human error." The PM added that manslaughter charges had been brought against the local stationmaster, and he has been arrested for the same. Mitsotakis said, "Justice will do its job."

Following the incident, the Greek minister of transportation resigned.

Several of the passengers on the train, traveling from Athens to Thessaloniki, were likely students returning from a break for the Greek Orthodox Lent.

Teams of rescuers are still looking for survivors. It remains unclear why the two trains were operating on the same track.