Greece mourns: Farewell to lost PAOK fans and Violanta fire victims
Source: NEOS KOSMOS
Greece is in a period of profound mourning this week, as communities across the country continue to grieve two tragic events that claimed lives only days apart: a fatal road accident in Romania that killed seven Greek football supporters, and a devastating fire and explosion at the Violanta biscuit factory in central Greece.
On Tuesday, 27 January 2026, a group of supporters of Thessaloniki’s PAOK FC were en route to France to watch their team’s UEFA Europa League match when their minibus was involved in a fatal crash with a heavy truck in Romania. Seven of the fans — all young men — lost their lives in the collision, while three others were seriously injured and later airlifted to hospitals.
Their bodies were repatriated to Thessaloniki aboard a Greek Air Force C-130 transport aircraft, arriving later that week.
On Thursday, 29 January, hundreds of PAOK supporters gathered at Macedonia Airport and later at Toumba Stadium — the club’s iconic home ground — in a deeply emotional farewell.
Fans accompanied the coffins in a motorcade, chanting slogans such as “Immortal” and “Brothers, you live on, you guide us.”
The scene at Toumba was marked by flares, chants, and displays of unity and sorrow, with supporters, friends, and family paying tribute to the seven young men whose lives were cut short.
Two of the victims’ fellow passengers remain hospitalized in Thessaloniki in stable condition, while a third remains in Romania undergoing treatment.
Funeral services for the seven supporters were scheduled for Friday and Saturday (30–31 January) in locations including Thessaloniki, Imathia, and Pieria.
The tragedy has reverberated across the football community and wider society, drawing support from clubs abroad and prompting tributes at matches and public gatherings.
Almost simultaneously, another tragedy unfolded at the Violanta biscuit factory near Trikala in central Greece. On Monday, 26 January, a powerful explosion and ensuing fire ripped through the facility’s production area, killing five female night-shift workers and injuring several others. Initial reports varied on the death toll and missing, but official confirmations later identified five victims.
Investigations later pointed to an underground propane gas leak as the cause of the deadly blast.
This week, the first of the funerals for the Violanta victims took place amid deep sorrow and anger from communities and families. In Megalohorio, Grizano, and the suburb of Karditsa, relatives, friends, and neighbours gathered to honour three of the women killed: Stavroula Boukovala, Anastasia Nasiou, and Agapi Bounova — all of whom were remembered for their devotion to family and work.
The eulogies were filled with raw grief and painful reflections on the premature loss. In one moving tribute, a son told mourners that his mother’s life was taken not by accident but through “negligence and inaction,” highlighting broader frustrations and unanswered questions around workplace safety.
At the factory site itself, a trisagion memorial service was held, led by church officials in an atmosphere of solemn prayer and shared sorrow.
Funerals for the remaining two victims were expected to follow in the coming days, as the full impact of the Violanta tragedy continues to unfold. The two tragedies have dominated the news agenda in Greece this week, with authorities pursuing parallel investigations into their causes.
Romanian police continue to examine the circumstances of the crash that killed the seven PAOK supporters, including claims from survivors that a steering malfunction may have played a role, while Greek prosecutors are questioning management and safety practices at the Violanta factory as part of a criminal probe into the deadly fire.
The original article: belongs to NEOS KOSMOS .
