Prosecutors from Bulgaria and Republic of N Macedonia: The fire on the bus possibly started from an explosion, the victims are being identified

Bulgaria’s Deputy Chief Prosecutor Borislav Sarafov, Chief Prosecutor of the Republic of North Macedonia Ljubomir Joveski and representatives of the prosecutor's offices in Bulgaria and RNM commented to the media on the tragic accident on Struma Motorway, Western Bulgaria, in which 46 people died in a flaming bus in the early hours on November 23.

It was established that there was an explosion in the bus, but the reasons for it are not clear yet.

"We held a joint working meeting to clarify all lines of international legal co-operation - obtaining all necessary documents from the Macedonian side and receiving biological material to identify the victims," ​​the deputy chief prosecutor said.

The list of passengers from the bus has been sent to the Republic of North Macedonia and the identification process has begun. We are confident that maximum efforts and the necessary cooperation are being made, said Sarafov. All necessary documents will be sent by the prosecutor's office to RNM.

"I want to express my condolences to the relatives and families of the victims and I want to thank my colleagues from the Bulgarian prosecutor's office for their joint work," said the Chief Prosecutor of the Republic of North Macedonia, Ljubomir Joveski.

The survivors who were taken to "Pirogov" emergency hospital are being interveiwed, only two of them are in adequate condition and can testify. Witnesses at the scene are also being questioned, Borislav Sarafov added.

There was a second driver, it is assumed that both drivers died, but the information is not final.

At the moment, no additional pre-trial proceedings will be held in the Republic of North Macedonia, for now it will be only on the territory of Bulgaria, the prosecutors said.

Vilma Ruskovska from the special prosecutor's office in the Republic of North Macedonia explained that the carrier company is 20 years old, so far there have been no accidents, but the relevant documentation for the technical condition of the buses must be checked. According to initial information, the crashed bus is new, it has been in operation for only three years.

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45 people, including 12 children, have died after a bus crashed and caught fire on Struma motorway in western Bulgaria in the early hours on November 23.

The bus was registered in the Republic of North Macedonia and was carrying tourists, who were returning from a trip in Turkey to Skopje.

Seven people managed to break the windows of the bus and escape. They were taken to Pirogov emergency hospital in Sofia with burns.

Speaking at the accident site, Bulgarian caretaker Minister of Interior, Boyko Rashkov said the victims had been burned beyond recognition, describing it as a "terrifying scene".

The cause of the accident was not immediately clear. According to initial information, the bus swerved off the motorway and tore away a 50m section of the crash barrier, but it was not clear if that was before or after it caught fire.

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