Preveza: pile-up at Aktio crossing, eight hurt

A serious road accident occurred at midday on Friday, August 14 at the entrance to the Aktio–Preveza undersea crossing, on the carriageway heading from Preveza to Aktio. A truck collided with three passenger cars, causing a chain-reaction crash. Eight people were injured and taken to Preveza Hospital. According to initial information, none of the injured was out of danger. Children were among the vehicle occupants. The identities of those involved have not been made public. The timing of the incident coincided with the peak of travel on the eve of the August 15 holiday, when traffic at the crossing is the heaviest of the year.

The Fire Service, EKAB with three ambulances, and Traffic Police responded to the scene. Occupants had to be extricated from the deformed vehicles, work carried out by firefighters. The vehicles involved carried Romanian, Italian and Greek license plates, while the truck driver is Greek. This mix reflects the heavy international traffic in the area during August, as the crossing is the main route to Lefkada and the Ionian coast for visitors from the Balkans and central Europe. Handling incidents in tunnels requires a special protocol, since the confined space makes it harder for emergency vehicles to approach and increases the risk from smoke in the event of a fire.

The entrance to the crossing was temporarily closed to remove the vehicles and clean the road surface, causing kilometres-long queues. Traffic Police urged drivers to exercise increased caution. The Aktio–Preveza undersea tunnel is the only one of its kind in Greece and connects Aetolia-Acarnania with Epirus, replacing the old ferry crossing. Because of its limited width and single lane per direction, any incident at its entrance or inside it immediately blocks the entire route. The crossing operates with tolls and is critical infrastructure for the local economy, since the alternative road route via Amfilochia adds dozens of kilometres to the journey.

Traffic accidents peak nationwide during the August 15 travel period, when heavy traffic volume, driver fatigue on long journeys and high temperatures combine. The Hellenic Police have announced a special traffic-policing plan for the long weekend, with reinforced presence on main road axes and a ban on trucks over 3.5 tonnes at certain hours. The causes of this particular accident are being investigated by Traffic Police. More on the Traffic page.