The search for 11-year-old Natalia Asenova and 40-year-old Asen Simeonov entered its 18th day, with police and volunteers continuing around-the-clock efforts to locate the pair after they disappeared from the Varna village of Konstantinovo. Despite dozens of reported sightings, authorities have yet to find any confirmed trace of them.
Investigators say more than 70 tips have been submitted since the search began, but the overwhelming majority have not been verified. The most recent confirmed sighting dates back to July 2, when Natalia and Simeonov were reportedly seen near the railway line outside the village of Yunak, roughly 30 kilometers from Konstantinovo. Search operations remain concentrated in that area and nearby settlements.
Volunteer teams involved in the operation said they have recently combed terrain around the villages of Snezhna, Gradinarevo, Grozdevo, and Tsonevo. They explained that those locations became a priority after authorities learned that Simeonov's brother lives in Snezhna.
"We work in close coordination with the police. They indicate to us the areas to search," one volunteer said. The teams are equipped with thermal imaging cameras and night-vision devices but avoid taking independent action. "If we notice something, we report it to 112 and the law enforcement agencies check it," they added.
