A wave of grief swept through Bulgaria after it emerged that the two children killed in Wednesday’s devastating crash on the Trakia highway were players from the Slavia Football Club academy. The boys, both nine years old, were traveling to Albena to take part in a football tournament when tragedy struck. Also killed in the crash was the father of one of the children.
Further reading: Bulgaria: Five Die in Back-To-Back Road Tragedies on Trakia Highway and Near Karnobat
The accident occurred after a truck crossed the median barrier and slammed into the vehicle carrying the children, their coach Ivan Terziyski, his wife, and one of the boys’ father. The truck driver has been detained for 24 hours, while tests for alcohol and drugs reportedly came back negative. Prosecutors are expected to bring charges against him.
In response to the tragedy, Slavia declared a month of mourning and announced it would withdraw from the tournament in Albena. The Bulgarian Football Union also expressed condolences to the families of the victims.
Slavia president Ventseslav Stefanov reacted emotionally to footage from the crash. “What I saw numbs me. This truck had no stopping distance. It crashed directly into the car. It crossed the barriers like they were waffles. Where is the responsibility? Two angels went to heaven, and the victims on the roads are becoming more and more,” he said.
