The helicopter crash on Sifnos , which claimed the lives of three people , including two British citizens , caused intense caution and immediate diplomatic mobilization. The British embassy immediately took action, arranging for independent foreign experts to arrive on the island within the day, in order to conduct a parallel and autonomous investigation into the causes of the accident, bypassing the exclusive jurisdiction of domestic mechanisms.
The main cause of the deep distrust towards EODASAAM — the competent body for investigating air and rail accidents — is its troubled history, which continues to provoke reactions despite the recent change of chairman .
At the center of the controversy is the organization’s officially shaken conclusion on the Tempi tragedy of February 28, 2023, which cost the lives of 57 people.
This report included unsubstantiated claims of fuel on the freight train, claims that were completely refuted by the expert opinion of the National Technical University of Athens . This led to a serious delay in the preliminary examination and the start of the trial two years later , reinforcing the decision of the British authorities to ensure an impartial investigation and full transparency in the findings of Sifnos.