Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

CNN International: At Least 36 Killed After Passenger & Freight Trains Collide; Ukraine: Russian Efforts To Take Bakhmut Have Intensified; Military Official Says Ukrainian Forces Have Not Made Decision To Withdraw From Bakhmut; Bola Ahmed Tinubu Wins Nigeria's Presidential Election; Israel Arrests Two Suspects In Killing Of American-Israeli Citizen; Ukrainian Team Works To Defuse Mines Left By Russian Forces; Iran's Top Diplomat Denies Allegations That Some Protesters Were Sexually Abused In IRGC Custody. Aired 8-8:30a ET

Aired March 01, 2023 - 08:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[08:00:25]

MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to CNN Newsroom. I'm Max Foster in London. Just ahead, a terrible tragedy in Greece after a passenger train collides head on with a freight train. The latest details in just a moment.

A new president elected in Nigeria, as Bola Ahmed Tinubusu -- Tinubu, rather, is declared the winner. But there are already calls for another vote amid corruption claims.

And delicate and life-threatening work on Ukraine's eastern front. A close up look at a team clearing mines left by Russian forces.

This hour, rescue workers are desperately searching the wreckage of a train collision in central Greece, hoping to find survivors. Fire officials say at least 36 people were killed when the two trains collided on Tuesday night. State media reports a passenger train switched to a cargo track before colliding with a freight train.

Officials say the passenger train was carrying more than 350 people. One passenger described the utter chaos after the collision.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STERGIOS MINENIS, TRAIN PASSENGER (through translation): We heard a big bang, it was 10 nightmarish seconds. We were turning over in the wagon until we fell on our sides and until the commotion stopped. Then there was panic. Cables everywhere. Fire.

The fire was immediate. As we were turning over, we were being burned. Fire was right and left. There was panic. For 10, 15 seconds, it was chaos. Tumbling over, fires, cables hanging, broken windows, people screaming, people trapped. It was 2 meters high from where we jumped to leave. And beneath there were broken iron debris. But what could we do?

(END VIDEO CLIP) FOSTER: Greece's Prime Minister visited the scene of the crash earlier. The government has declared three days of mourning for the crash victims.

Elinda Labropoulou is following the story for us. She joins us from Athens. Obviously, the details coming out from this are horrendous and awful stories, but also the big question about how this was allowed to happen.

ELINDA LABROPOULOU, JOURNALIST: Well, allowed might be a big word. Of course, it is a little early to know exactly what happened. What we do know is that there was a head on collision and the trains were on the same track. So this is a question that now authorities are trying to work out at the same time as obviously trying to see if anybody remains alive in the debris.

And it is a very long search operation that is now underway simply because of the size of the destruction on the scene. I mean, the two first carriages of the train have been completely destroyed, are partly burned. And the rescuers are having an extremely hard time accessing those two carriages, one of them being the restaurant carriage.

So it makes it even more difficult to know exactly how many people might have been there at the time. What we do know is that the train was carrying a lot of young people. Greece was just -- had just finished a carnival weekend. A lot of students seem to be commuting between the two main cities of Athens and Thessaloniki.

It's a very popular way for students to go back to their studies. So following the carnival and a bank holiday, a weekend a lot of people were on this train. Specifically, the numbers we have are for just over 350 people on board. Of those, we know that 36 are dead, 66 are in hospital. A total of at least 85 have been injured.

Now the investigation is moving on. There is a police investigation that has been launched. The trainmaster has been arrested. We're waiting to see under what ground. He has been testifying, along with a number of other officials. So we're waiting for an official announcement as to what comes next.

Meanwhile, both the Prime Minister and then actually a number of other officials, the Transport Minister, has been on the scene as well. They have both talked about, you know, a national tragedy. It is a way that Greece is now looking at this and looking for who might be responsible for this terrible accident that happened.

But just to add to this, Max, Greece has had a number of issues with its railway services. There have been reports in the past about safety, security, so that is out there for decades now. There have been all kinds of debates and discussions about how to improve the system.

[08:05:16]

The answers, of course, will be given with this investigation and as we go along further, Max.

FOSTER: Elinda Labropoulou in Athens, thank you for the update.

Ukraine now and the horrifying intensifying battle for the city of Bakhmut in the country's east. Ukraine's President says Bakhmut presents the most difficult challenge across the front lines. More than 4,000 civilians are said to be still in Bakhmut, including dozens of children.

One of President Zelenskyy's advisers tells CNN Ukraine's military will weigh all options, including strategically pulling back if needed. But a military official stresses that that decision has not been made yet.

Alex Marquardt is in eastern Ukraine. Alex?

ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, Max, there is fierce fighting up and down this eastern front and nowhere more so than in and around the city of Bakhmut. As you noted, President Zelenskyy is saying that this is the toughest fight in the country so far.

He says that Ukrainian defenses in and around the city are getting absolutely pummeled by Russian forces. He does note that Russia is sending its forces forward with little concern for their wellbeing and that they are suffering a huge number of casualties. We do know of course Ukraine is suffering losses as well.

The question now is whether Ukraine will pull out of the city. They do appear to be on their heels. That spokesperson for the Ukrainian military here in eastern Ukraine saying that so far, no decision has been made. But it is clearly something they are considering as this fighting gets tougher and tougher.

Russian forces, primarily made up of experienced Wagner fighters according to that same spokesperson pushing towards and around the city. They appear to be trying to encircle it. They claim to have taken territory north of the city.

Now CNN did speak with a Ukrainian fighter in the city yesterday who said that despite what Ukrainian officials are saying, the bleak picture that they are painting, that the actual reality is 100 percent worse than that.

Now, in terms of context, Max, this is a consequential battle. It would be hugely symbolic for Russia in terms of a victory if they were able to take it. Ukraine now trying to make sure that it is not more of a strategic victory if Russia takes it. They are trying to fortify their defenses west of the city, digging in there west of the city.

And they are trying to weaken that Russian force as much as possible in this fight in Bakhmut so that they wouldn't be able to advance much farther beyond that if they are able to take this city. At the same time, Max, we know that Ukraine is planning for a counter offensive at some point in the near future. When and where exactly that will happen? That remains to be seen. Max? FOSTER: Alex, in Ukraine, thank you.

Africa's largest democracy has a new elected leader following its highly disputed presidential election. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Nigeria's ruling party candidate, was declared the winner on Wednesday. In his acceptance speech, he appealed to his political rivals to work with him. On Tuesday, opposition leaders called for a new election, claiming the vote was rigged.

CNN's Larry Madowo joins me live from Lagos. What do the public think?

LARRY MADOWO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The public is divided. There are supporters of Bola Tinubu who are excited because they say he's got experience. He used to be governor of Lagos, and he will apply the same experience to running the country.

But there are also many young people, especially, who are heartbroken by the loss of Peter Obi, who came in third, only 24 percent of the vote. He was seen as a promise, a fresh start for Nigeria, and he didn't have the same baggage that the other politicians had.

And so that's the mixed picture that we see in the election today. But the opposition leaders, three main opposition parties walked out of that process. They say that this process was filled with fraud and they cannot endorse what happened. They've calls for a fresh election and a resignation of the chair of Electoral Commission.

But for Bola Tinubu, who will now be the next president of Nigeria, he's been reaching out his opponents. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BOLA AHMED TINUBU, NIGERIAN PRESIDENT-ELECT: I think these are (INAUDIBLE) to appeal to my fellow contestants to let us team work together. It is the only nation we have.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MADOWO: This is why some people want to change in Nigeria. The thing you see behind me is a cash point here, an ATM where people are queuing up for money since Nigeria redesigned the Naira and demonetized higher currency notes. There's been -- this scene almost around the country because there's been a massive shortage of notes and people have to do this and pay off rival people just to get notes.

[08:10:09]

And these are some of the indignities, the daily inconveniences of living in a country that is so deeply dysfunctional that one common prayer is that mean Nigeria not happen to you. Because if Nigeria happens to you, even your money cannot insulate you from systemic failures.

And that is why people are disappointed, some of them, that one of the other candidates didn't get a chance to win. And Nigeria will probably see more of this, according to the people I'm talking to, who are just heartbroken today.

FOSTER: OK, Larry, thank you so much for bringing us that update from Lagos. We'll see how it goes.

Now this new information just in to CNN, Israeli security forces have arrested two suspects in the killing of an American-Israeli citizen. The IGF says one person was shot during the raid. Elan Ganeles was killed on Monday in highway -- on a highway, rather, between the city of Jericho and the Dead Sea. The 27-year-old was visiting Israel for a friend's wedding.

Hadas Gold joins us from Jerusalem with the latest, and got some details about the raid.

HADAS GOLD, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Yes, so what we understand is that the Israeli military went into refugee camp right next to Jericho in the middle of the day. And they say that as a result, they apprehended at least two suspects that they say were directly involved in the shooting death of Elan Ganeles. And they said that at least one other person was shot and injured, as far as they know, during this operation.

And what's interesting, Max, is while this operation was going on, Elan Ganeles was being buried literally at the same time in Ra'anana, north of Tel Aviv. His family had flown over from the United States for the funeral. A very emotional moment for them. Many, many people at this funeral. Take a listen to what his mother had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CAROLYN GANELES, ELAN GANELES' MOTHER: A whole life of so much potential. He wanted so much to see the world, to soak up every aspect of all the beauty, all the history, all the culture. Our loss is a loss for the world of such an emerging, bright, shiny, brilliant star. We feel as if a part of our being has been taken from us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLD: And Max, the family will be actually returning to Connecticut, to the United States, to Shiva, to sit the traditional Jewish mourning period. But this incident near Jericho, it is a very unusual incident for that area, because typically in years past, this route that Elan Ganeles was driving on is usually pretty quiet, and tourists often use it to reach tourist locations like the Dead Sea.

But in the recent weeks and months of this violence, the cycle of violence that we've been seeing, that area has started to become a hotspot for violence. A few weeks ago, the Israeli military carried out a raid in Jericho that killed five Palestinians. And then there was another attempted shooting attack, actually at a restaurant not far away from Jericho where nobody was injured because the Israeli authorities say the gun jammed for the attackers.

But then we see this attack along the road, the attacker shooting actually at several cars that were passing by. But only Elan Ganeles was shot and injured in this way. Obviously, a very concerning time here as this cycle of violence seemingly just continues with no end. Max?

FOSTER: OK, Hadas, thank you.

Still to come, we're taking a closer look at the train collision in Greece and what might have caused the deadly accident.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:15:37]

FOSTER: Now, the head on collision of two trains in Greece was -- well, has been leaving a really big question. How can a transportation accident of this scale happen in modern times? It's thought this fatal train collision is one of the worst in the country's history.

Greek media are reporting that the passenger and freight trains were traveling on the same track for quite some time when they crashed head on at high speed. The collision occurred when the passenger train came out of a tunnel. Reuters reports Greece's aging railway system is in need of modernizing. People that have been there can probably testify to that.

But Eleni Giokos joins us now with a closer look at what may have caused the train wreck. You know the country, but how do two trains end up on the same track for a long period of time, it looks like, without anyone seeing a collision happening?

ELENI GIOKOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. So many questions, right? I've been watching Greek media all day, seeing the analysis, seeing experts trying to figure out how this could have happened. So let's just start from the beginning. You have two trains, one freight, one passenger coming from opposite directions and then colliding.

So then you've got to ask the question, the electronic indicators that should have kicked into notice that there is another head on train coming in another direction, those didn't get activated. The station master would have perhaps had this information to their disposal. Was it human error? Was it a technical fault?

And a lot of the analysis that I've been hearing, and even from experts saying there is an electronic key that then changes the direction of a train onto another track, and that seems to have happened. Usually it is done by someone, by a person. So, you know, the question then becomes, is it a human error?

The other thing that we've been hearing is -- and many questions surrounding this and frankly, people weighing in going, well, the Greek railway system has actually not been maintained properly, has not been upgraded. There have been systems that haven't been working for perhaps over a decade. A lot of questions surrounding this. So big investigation around this.

The Prime Minister just visited the site, saying that they will leave no efforts unturned to ensure that they figure out what happens so that it doesn't happen again. But in the meantime, there is major shock that this occurred on a very popular route and usually carrying university students from Athens into Thessaloniki and many questions surrounding how this possibly could have happened.

Another thing that is really interesting here, Max, is just the sheer shock of this within Greece. People are calling it the death train. And, frankly, the fact that there were no warning signs that the trains were traveling at high speed. There was no slowing down of the train at least according to initial reports.

We actually heard from the mayor of Tempi, which is just a small town outside of Larissa, saying that he arrived on the scene. He saw young university students in absolute shock, many of them injured with shrapnel, confused, not sure what happened. The passengers are saying some of them feltlike an earthquake had occurred when impacts happened.

And then the people outside of the hospital saying they're waiting for their loved ones to be identified. Police and health officials saying that they have to use DNA testing because that fire that erupted in the first two carriages was that intense, causing severe injuries.

FOSTER: And there have been complaints, of course, about the railway system and how it needs upgrading, but a lot of countries have the same accusations. What do you think is going to happen off the back of this? Is there going to be lots of people saying, we told you this was going to happen?

GIOKOS: Yes, I mean, actually, a lot of the people that have been appearing on local media, former employees of Hellenic Train and some other experts saying they have been warning the government and the Transport Department that an accident could have occurred because of failed systems. But that doesn't mean that people are less shocked by this. I think there was always a sense that there was some kind of safety protocol involved here.

The next step, I can assure you that, you know, especially people who have lost loved ones are not going to stand down on this. I think that there's been such a huge response, I think, by government officials. You see politicians in tears at the crash site. You're hearing horrific stories of what people went through and, of course, people still waiting to hear from loved ones. You see enormous lines of people trying to donate blood to assist.

[08:20:09]

Max, I think this is going to be a long investigation, but one that is absolutely going to be insightful into the state of Greece's railway system.

FOSTER: OK, Eleni, our thoughts with everyone, of course, caught up in that.

Still ahead, the hidden danger on the ground. Ukrainian teams are risking their lives to diffuse mines and traps left behind by Russian forces. CNN follows one such team when we return.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) FOSTER: As the war in Ukraine grinds on, dangerous work continues in areas that have been liberated from the Russians. Unexploded mines litter the area. CNN's Alex Marquardt follows one team trying to clear the ground in eastern Ukraine.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARQUARDT (voice-over): The hulking armored mine-clearer lurches into an open field. Over 40 tons, it spews exhaust, its tracks struggling across the muddy ground. Following close behind, the mine-clearance team called sappers. They advanced deliberately on the hunt for deadly explosives. This is delicate work.

(on-camera): This was a Russian position, Russian trenches. And now these guys are working through here carefully methodically looking for mines, for booby traps and even Ukrainian ordinance that was fired at the Russians who were here.

(voice-over): Last September, a Ukrainian counter offensive pushed the Russians out of these trenches. Now Colonel Maksim Melnyk's team has been charged with clearing any explosives.

They have left many traps behind and many of our brothers, our sappers have died, Melnyk says. Russia doesn't obey international conventions. They put mines on top of mines, leave booby traps and use banned mines.

Russian and Ukrainian mines are scattered throughout the Eastern Front, making Ukraine one of the biggest minefields in the world. Rockets and other explosives can often fail to detonate when they land, too. All of it posing immense danger to civilians.

The sappers of Ukraine's DS&S emergency service like Eduard Herasimenko, who is a father of a 10-year-old daughter are keenly aware of the danger. It's dangerous for everybody, he says. I wouldn't say we take more risks than others, everybody is taking risks now.

Herasimenko was demining before the war started seeing what Russia has done to his country infuriates him. They are just animals, he says. There's no other way to describe them.

He finds and carries an unexploded rocket propelled grenade to the side. Working day after day all across this country, deminers know how much they still have left to do.

(on-camera): After the war, the soldiers get to go home but your work will continue for years.

We will keep working for decades, Colonel Melnyk says. This will go on for decades.

Alex Marquardt, CNN, in Eastern Ukraine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[08:25:04] FOSTER: Well, the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog says near bomb grade level uranium particles have been found at an Iranian nuclear facility. Meanwhile, Iran's foreign minister recently sat down with our Christiane Amanpour for an exclusive interview covering a range of topics, including the alleged sexual abuse of anti-government protesters in the custody of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: When you say the Islamic Republic of Iran respects human rights, one female protester says that she was detained inside a Revolutionary Guard facility for more thana month and raped by three different men. She went to a cleric, a mullah, afterwards because she was having suicide thoughts. She was so upset.

CNN spoke with that cleric. Is that acceptable? Is it acceptable for a woman, whatever she's done, to be arrested and raped? And there are many, many , many reports of sexual abuse in this situation against women and men.

HOSSEIN AMIR-ABDOLLAHIAN, IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER (through translation): Firstly, in the peaceful demonstrations in the fall, no one was arrested.

AMANPOUR: So you're just denying that?

AMIR-ABDOLLAHIAN (through translation): However, in those protests that had become violent, some individuals, some of whom had entered Iran from the outside and were using firearms and killing the police, were arrested. You do know that the Supreme Leader actually issued an amnesty and all those who were imprisoned were released, with the exception of those who had killed someone, all being sued.

Regarding the Iranian woman that you mentioned, I cannot confirm it. There have been so many such baseless claims made on social media and in media.

AMANPOUR: OK, these are not baseless and they weren't on the Internet. It's CNN spoke to a cleric, a religious person inside your country, and got this story.

AMIR-ABDOLLAHIAN (through translation): We have seen some of CNN's reports that are targeted and false.

AMANPOUR: That's not true. We report the facts and we report the truth. And that's why you're sitting here with me, Mr. Foreign Minister.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Tune in to see Christiane Amanpour's exclusive interview with Iran's Foreign Minister, Wednesday, 07:00 p.m. in Geneva, 06:00 p.m. in London only here on CNN.

Thanks for joining me on CNN Newsroom. I'm Max Foster in London. World Sport with Amanda Davies is up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:30:00]