Seven PAOK Fans Killed in Romania Crash While Heading to Europa League Match
Seven football supporters lost their lives in a devastating road accident in western Romania while travelling to France to attend a UEFA Europa League match.
The victims, all fans of Greek club PAOK Thessaloniki, were on a road trip to watch their team face Olympique Lyonnais when their minivan collided head-on with an oncoming lorry. The crash occurred early Tuesday afternoon along the E70 highway, between the towns of Caransebeș and Lugoj.
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Authorities said the group of ten supporters, all aged between 28 and 30, were travelling in a black minivan when the driver attempted to overtake another vehicle. Dashcam footage from a nearby car shows the van crossing into the opposite lane moments before it struck the heavy truck, which had no room to avoid impact due to traffic conditions.
The collision sent the smaller vehicle spinning across the roadway, scattering debris across both lanes. Emergency responders arrived quickly, but seven men were pronounced dead at the scene. Three others sustained serious injuries and were rushed to hospital for treatment.
Romania’s fire service confirmed that multiple rescue units, including extrication teams and fire engines, were deployed. Officials also said air ambulances were unable to reach the area because of poor weather conditions.
Tributes have poured in from Greece, with Thessaloniki Mayor Stelios Angeloudis expressing condolences to the families of the victims and wishing the injured a swift recovery.
Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of the crash.
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