Seven supporters of Greek club PAOK have died and three others are critically injured after a minibus carrying them to France for a Europa League match against Lyon collided head-on with a lorry in western Romania.
The fatal crash occurred on Romania’s National Road DN6 in Timis County, when the Greece-registered minibus, travelling from Caransebes towards Lugoj, attempted to overtake another vehicle and veered into the opposite lane, where it collided head-on with a heavy truck. Romanian police said the 29-year-old driver of the minibus and six passengers died at the scene, while three other occupants were rushed to hospital with severe injuries.
Authorities confirmed that all ten people in the vehicle were PAOK supporters heading to France to back their team in their upcoming Europa League fixture against Olympique Lyonnais. Two of the survivors remain in critical condition, while a third is being treated for serious but stable injuries in a hospital in Lugoj.
Emergency services reported that poor weather conditions hampered rescue operations, with air ambulances unable to reach the crash site. Romanian police have opened a criminal investigation into manslaughter and negligent bodily harm as they seek to clarify all the circumstances surrounding the accident.
The tragedy has cast a shadow over PAOK’s Europa League trip, with Greek authorities and the Greek embassy in Romania coordinating with local officials to support the victims’ families and the injured fans. The club’s crucial tie against Lyon, scheduled for later this week, is now overshadowed by mourning for the seven devoted supporters who lost their lives on the journey to follow their team.
