A fatal car accident occurred on Tuesday morning on the DN6 highway in Timiș County, Romania, with a tragic toll of seven deaths. The victims were Greek fans traveling by minibus to France to watch a PAOK match.
According to Romanian authorities, the vehicle’s driver attempted to overtake on a straight section of the road. While returning to his lane, the minibus initially collided with a tanker truck moving normally. From the collision, it veered into oncoming traffic, where it crashed violently with a passing truck (TIR).
According to initial reports, the ten passengers in the minibus were young and came from Alexandreia Imathias, Katerini and Thessaloniki. They were a group of fans from these areas, with the local community of Alexandreia Imathias in a state of shock and deep mourning. Particularly moving is the fact that one of the victims had traveled from Belgium exclusively to watch the match.
Seven PAOK fans killed: Initial assessments of the car accident causes in Romania – “Unusual” incident
Defensive driving specialist Titi Aur, speaking to Digi24, characterized the incident as “unusual” for what would be a simple handling error. As he explained, the driver had completed the overtaking and had time to return to the right lane. However, the vehicle suddenly turned slightly to the left – a movement that the specialist believes is inconsistent with simple loss of control.
The route data of the minibus before the accident in Romania has been made public. According to the navigation map, the ten passengers had Lyon, France as their final destination, which they would reach via Lugoj – the city where the injured were eventually transferred to the local hospital. Based on GPS data, at the time of the accident there were still 17 hours and 16 minutes remaining to complete the journey to Lyon. The total travel time, without stops, is calculated at 21 hours and 56 minutes, almost one full day of continuous driving.
The vehicle’s route depicts a long, demanding journey that was violently interrupted on DN6, just a few kilometers after departing from Lugoj.
What Romanian authorities are now examining
Romanian authorities are comprehensively examining the vehicle’s condition, road conditions, as well as available data from cameras and witness testimonies, while also evaluating the driver’s health and alertness at the time of the accident. Although final conclusions will emerge from the official investigation, initial evidence suggests that the fatal deviation likely resulted from sudden loss of attention or sudden illness of the driver.
Potential scenarios being examined:
- Sudden illness of the driver (nausea, fainting tendency).
- Severe distraction, possibly from conversation or mobile phone use.
- Mistaken assessment that overtaking was completed, something that often happens to experienced long-distance drivers.
- The specialist largely ruled out the possibility of sleep, as the driver had just performed an active driving action (overtaking).
“The overtaking was extremely dangerous”
An eyewitness told Romanian television: “The overtaking was extremely dangerous. He realized the truck was coming from ahead and tried to return to his lane, but he collided and was ejected right on top of it. I only saw one man who got out of the car standing. The other victims were on the road and in the field… They were in very bad condition,” the witness said.
“He was overtaking. He didn’t secure his movement. He had a collision with the truck that was ahead,” says an eyewitness to observatornews.ro. “While overtaking the tanker that was ahead, he realized he couldn’t complete the overtaking and hit the truck that was to his right. The truck braked. The truck behind me also braked, which was coming towards me and we all ended up in the ditch. I remember seeing one person who got out on his feet from the car. That’s all I saw,” reports another witness to observatornews.ro.
PAOK FC: “Flags at half-mast at Toumba, we obviously assume all expenses, postponement with Lyon impossible”
PAOK FC reacted immediately after news of the shocking car accident in Romania and the death of seven team fans who were about to travel to Lyon to watch the match against Olympique (29/1-22:00) for the eighth matchday of the League Phase in the Europa League. The profile picture change, with the inverted scarf, symbolizes mourning. The club had to act swiftly before issuing its own statement in which, since words are inadequate, it focused on the practical aspect.
It announced that immediately after news of the car accident, a meeting was held presided over by Ivan Savvidis. It was naturally decided that PAOK FC would assume all expenses, both regarding the seven deceased and the three injured. Additionally, the club’s major shareholder requested that everything necessary be done so that the injured receive the maximum possible care, and that the bodies of the deceased be transported to Greece. According to the announcement, a member of the club’s board was to travel to Romania. Furthermore, the club informed that it was not feasible to postpone the match with Lyon.
PAOK FC’s announcement
Immediately after news of the unspeakable tragedy became known, a meeting was held under Ivan Savvidis. The president gave directions and asked that everything be done to clarify the causes of the accident, care for the injured, transport the bodies of the deceased to Greece and support the families.
Marios Tsakas, member of the club’s Board of Directors, leaves immediately for Romania with legal accompaniment, to make all necessary actions, to record events properly, to support the injured. Contact was made with the Prime Minister’s office and the Ministers of Interior, Health and Civil Protection, for the best possible communication and coordination with Romanian authorities.
Contact was made with our Embassy in Bucharest and its representatives left for the tragedy site. That we will assume all expenses is self-evident. We contacted UEFA. Match postponement is impossible. We are in contact with the European confederation to do what must be done to express our mourning.
Also the flags of Toumba will fly at half-mast.
The moment of collision between PAOK fans’ van and truck
Shocking video from the moment of collision between the van carrying PAOK fans and a truck on a Romanian road. The moment of the fatal collision was recorded by a car camera moving on the DN6 highway. The video shows the black van with PAOK fans performing an overtaking maneuver and then losing control and colliding head-on with a truck moving in the opposite direction.
Injured serious but out of danger
The three PAOK fans who survived the horrific car accident in Romania are in Timisoara hospital seriously injured but out of danger. “Three injured were transported from Lugoj Hospital to Timisoara Hospital – Casa Austria. One of them has multiple spine fractures, rib fractures and clavicle fracture. The second has spine fracture and head injury. The third was conscious and cooperative,” were the words of hospital manager Mihai Balan, according to Lugoj media.
PAOK players and Lucescu left flowers at Toumba
With deep emotion and flowers in their hands, Razvan Lucescu, Adelino Vieirinha and the entire PAOK football team arrived at Toumba stadium to pay tribute to the seven fans who tragically lost their lives. The tragic car accident that occurred in Romania has plunged the entire country into mourning. The loss of the seven PAOK fans in the shocking accident in Romania has created an atmosphere of deep sadness throughout the football family.
The players of the Double-headed Eagle, holding a flower each, headed to the spot where candles and messages have been placed in honor of the unjustly lost fans. The emotion was visible on everyone’s faces, as the reality of loss is difficult to face.
Outside Toumba stadium, PAOK fans gathered to honor their teammates who left life prematurely. With tears in their eyes they sang the team’s well-known chants:
- “PAOK I love you and when I die, I want the Double-headed Eagle on my grave”
- “Brothers live on”
See photos and video:
