Seven young PAOK supporters were killed in a devastating traffic accident in western Romania on Tuesday, January 27, as they travelled from Greece to France to attend Thursday’s Europa League match against Lyon, Greek authorities and the country’s embassy in Romania confirmed.
The victims were among 10 passengers travelling in a minivan that collided head-on with an oncoming truck on the E70 highway between Caransebes and Lugojel at around 1 pm.
Dashcam footage aired by local media shows the vehicle overtaking another car moments before the crash.
Romanian fire services said the accident involved a truck, a tanker, a minivan (8+1 seats) and a passenger vehicle.
Three passengers were injured and remain conscious. They were transferred to Timisoara University Hospital, around 100 kilometres from the crash site, where doctors are assessing their condition.
Emergency helicopters were unable to operate due to adverse weather, according to Romanian Civil Protection chief Raed Arafat.
Greek state-run news agency AMNA reported that at least four of the victims were from northern Greece, including three aged between 25 and 27 from Alexandria in Imathia and one from neighbouring Pieria.
Greek embassy officials travelled to the scene as Romanian authorities launched an investigation into the circumstances of the crash.
The tragedy plunged the Greek sporting world into mourning. Flags were flown at half-mast outside PAOK’s Toumba Stadium in Thessaloniki as tributes poured in.
PAOK chairman Ivan Savvidis said he was “devastated by the unjust loss of young people – supporters of our beloved team – who travelled to stand by PAOK.”
“I mourn with their families and with millions of our compatriots,” he said. “These young people, the children of PAOK, are our own. They are members of one big family, and we stand by our family and leave no one alone.”
PAOK said it had sent officials to Romania to liaise with authorities and would cover all costs related to the repatriation of the dead and injured. The club also confirmed that its request to UEFA to postpone the match against Lyon was rejected.
Olympique Lyonnais said a memorial event would be held at Groupama Stadium on matchday, expressing “sincere condolences to PAOK after the tragic loss of many of its fans in a traffic accident.”
Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis said he was in contact with his Romanian counterpart and that Greece stood ready to assist or repatriate the injured if medically necessary.
Messages of condolence were also issued by rival clubs Olympiakos and AEK, Sports Minister Giannis Vroutsis, the Panhellenic Association of Professional Football Players, Thessaloniki Mayor Stelios Angeloudis and EU Commissioner Glenn Micallef, who said he was “deeply saddened” by the loss of young supporters who “set out to see the team they loved and never got there.”
