Two children from youth football academy die in road accident at Trakia Highway

Two children from the 2017 age group of the Academy of Slavia Football Club in Sofia and the parent of one of the boys were killed in the road accident on Trakia Highway near Yambol on June 25, the Sofia-based club announced.

The academy coach, Ivan Terziyski, and his wife were also seriously injured in the crash.

The five were travelling by car to take part in a children's football tournament in Albena when, at the 290th kilometre of the Trakia Motorway, a heavy truck travelling in the opposite direction, from Burgas towards Sofia, suffered a tyre blowout. The driver lost control, the truck crossed the median barrier and crashed into the car.

"Two children from our academy have died... Coach Ivan Terziyski is in serious condition. They were on their way to participate in a tournament in Albena. I am devastated, we are all in mourning... These children will never be forgotten. I sincerely hope they are in a better place... My condolences to their families! A truck entered the opposite lane and smashed into the vehicle. I am declaring one month of mourning for Slavia's academy," said a grieving Ventseslav Stefanov, president of Slavia Football Club.

The accident has raised public fury over lack of control on Bulgarian roads, lack of strict regulations for feight transport vehicles and growing death toll despite constant public protests for raising road safety.

Edited by Rositsa Petkova