From early afternoon on Tuesday, hundreds of PAOK supporters gathered outside Toumba Stadium in Thessaloniki. They came carrying flags, scarves, candles, and flowers—not to celebrate a match, but to mourn seven young people who never reached their destination.
They were fans who had set out on what was meant to be a road trip fueled by devotion: thousands of kilometers across Europe to stand behind their team.
“We’ve traveled miles again”
“We’ve traveled miles again” is one of the most beloved chants sung by PAOK’s organized supporters. This time, it became heartbreakingly literal.
Ten young fans of PAOK—known as PAOK FC, one of Greece’s biggest football clubs and commonly called the Double-Headed Eagle of the North—left northern Greece by van, beginning a journey of more than 3,000 kilometers. Their goal was Lyon, France, where PAOK are scheduled to play in the UEFA Europa League.
They never made it.
On Tuesday afternoon, near the Romanian city of Timișoara, the van collided head-on with a heavy truck on a stretch of road notorious for fatal accidents. Six of the passengers were killed instantly. A seventh died while being transported to hospital. Three others survived and remain hospitalized with injuries.
A road trip across borders—and into disaster
The group had departed from Thessaloniki and surrounding regions of Pieria and Imathia in northern Greece. Choosing to travel by road, they crossed multiple countries, driven by the same impulse that has long defined football fandom in Greece: following the team, no matter the distance.
Romanian authorities confirmed that the collision occurred on the E70 European route, known locally as DN6—a national highway linking Bucharest to western Romania and widely regarded as one of the country’s most dangerous roads due to its history of deadly crashes.
An eighth death, hours later
Just hours after news of the crash broke, another tragedy unfolded back in Greece.
A 55-year-old man from Larissa, well known within PAOK’s supporter community, died after suffering a cardiac episode. According to reports, he had pre-existing heart problems and collapsed outside a restaurant he owned after learning of the crash in Romania.
His death raised the toll linked to the tragedy even higher, deepening the shock across the PAOK family.
“Another black day”
“This is another black day. Another unspeakable tragedy for the PAOK family,” the club said in an official statement.
“Safe travels to our children, whose love for the four letters took them far away. That love brought them there, left them there, and moved on—but their souls will always rest beneath the wings of the Double-Headed Eagle.”
PAOK FC owner Ivan Savvidis described the event as “an unspeakable tragedy that knocked on our door today,” saying he was “devastated by the unjust loss of young people—supporters of our beloved team—who were traveling simply to stand by PAOK.”
A wound reopened after 27 years
For many in Thessaloniki, the tragedy revived memories they never truly left behind.
In 1999, six PAOK supporters were killed in a bus crash while returning from Athens after a derby match against Panathinaikos. The date—October 4, 1999—remains etched into the club’s collective memory.
“Today, Thessaloniki woke up to the nightmares of October 4, 1999,” the city’s mayor, Stelios Angeloudis, wrote on social media. “Our thoughts are with the PAOK supporters who lost their lives in Romania on their way to watch their team play away from home.”
Mourning outside Toumba Stadium
By Tuesday evening, the area outside Gate 1 of Toumba Stadium had become a place of vigil. Supporters stood silently, lighting candles and laying flowers. A delegation from the PAOK first team also arrived, led by head coach Razvan Lucescu, who appeared visibly shaken.
Later, organized supporters entered Gate 4 of the stadium and unfurled a banner reading: “Safe journey to paradise, brothers.”
As a mark of respect, all organized trips to France were cancelled. The section of Lyon’s Groupama Stadium designated for PAOK fans will remain closed during the Europa League match.
“By decision of the PAOK supporters’ associations, all road and air travel to Lyon is cancelled, and the stand that would have hosted us will remain closed as a minimum sign of respect for our brothers who were lost so unjustly in the accident in Romania,” the supporters said in a statement.
Gate 4 opens for tribute
Supporters also announced that Gate 4 of Toumba Stadium would remain open on Wednesday from 10:00 to 22:00 for anyone wishing to pay their respects.
“There are no words right now to express our pain,” the statement read. “Strength and courage to the families of the victims.”
Residents from the town of Alexandria in Imathia said that two of the victims “had never missed PAOK matches abroad” and were “excited about traveling to France.”
Survivors out of danger
Speaking to Mega News, Timișoara hospital director Dorel Săndesc confirmed that the three injured survivors are out of immediate danger.
One patient suffered fractures and lung complications but does not require intubation or mechanical support. “He is not in critical condition, and we hope for a positive outcome,” Săndesc said.
The other two injured supporters are in better condition, with what he described as “very superficial injuries.” Doctors are expected to assess on Wednesday whether the patients will remain hospitalized in Romania or be transferred to Greece.
Săndesc also noted that many PAOK supporters volunteered to donate blood—an act he described as deeply moving.
Investigation into the crash
Romanian police have launched a full investigation into the causes of the collision. A criminal case has been opened for involuntary manslaughter and bodily harm by negligence.
Authorities are continuing to examine all circumstances surrounding the crash on the E70/DN6 highway, a road that has seen numerous fatal accidents over the years.
For PAOK supporters, however, the facts of the investigation offer little comfort. What remains is grief—for seven young lives lost on a journey defined by loyalty, love, and a belief that following your team is worth any distance.
This time, the miles were too many.
