ПРОГРАМИ
en de ru fr es sr gr al tr ro
Podcast in English
Share
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Police reveal horrific details of migrant deaths near Sofia

Photo: Archive

The secret compartment of the timber truck in which the Afghan migrants died of suffocation was meant for 25-30 people. Out of greed, the traffickers crammed in 52, Borislav Sarafov, director of the National Investigative Service, told a news briefing. 

They transported the migrants from the Turkish border to the border with Serbia. The traffickers were paid between 5,000 and 7,000 euros via the hawala system. The driver took 100 euros per person and the leader - around 1,000 euros per person. 

The 6-member criminal group prepared the hiding places themselves, lined with foil so that body heat would not be detected by X-ray. After Trayanova Vrata mountain pass, the traffickers heard a thumping sound, but did not stop. The victims suffocated for between 30 and 60 minutes. Outside Sofia, the pounding intensified. The drivers stopped. Seeing the suffocating migrants and understanding that there were casualties, they fled.

On Friday police in Bulgaria discovered an abandoned truck containing the bodies of 18 migrants from Afghanista, who appeared to have suffocated to death inside a secret compartment under a load of lumber.

Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.
Radio Bulgaria News    18 Afghanistan dead migrants suffocated traffick

More from category

General Major Nikolay Rusev

Bulgaria will seek a system for maximum protection against drones

We want to buy a system that has maximum protection against drones. This does not mean that it has a mechanical effect on the drone, but at least that it has some electromagnetic or blocking control of the device. This was explained to BNT by Maj. Gen...

published on 10/16/25 1:22 PM
Slovak President Peter Pellegrini with President of North Macedonia Gordana Siljanovska

Slovak Ambassador summoned to Ministry of Foreign Affairs over statements made in Skopje

Slovak Ambassador Vasil Grivna was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs over official statements made by Slovak President Peter Pellegrini during his visit to Skopje on October 14. There were unacceptable assessments made..

published on 10/16/25 10:40 AM

Vice President presents the most famous Chinese scholar of Bulgarian studies with an order

On behalf of the Head of State Rumen Radev, Vice President Iliana Iotova presented the Order of Sts. Cyril and Methodius, first degree, to Professor Ma Sipu, the press office of the president reported. The award was presented at..

published on 10/16/25 8:50 AM

WEATHER
Pick city: Sofía
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 9 | Max: 14
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 12 | Max: 17
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 12 | Max: 16
Clear
Min: 7 | Max: 16
Partly Cloudy
Min: 7 | Max: 13
Partly Cloudy
Min: 8 | Max: 13
Partly Cloudy
Min: 6 | Max: 12
Partly Cloudy
Min: 11 | Max: 14
Cloudy
Min: 10 | Max: 16
Partly Cloudy
Min: 8 | Max: 16
Partly Cloudy
Min: 8 | Max: 13
Partly Cloudy
Min: 7 | Max: 15
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 10 | Max: 17
Partly Cloudy
Min: 6 | Max: 14
Partly Cloudy
Min: 7 | Max: 14
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 12 | Max: 18
Partly Cloudy
Min: 8 | Max: 14
Partly Cloudy
Min: 9 | Max: 15
Partly Cloudy
Min: 11 | Max: 14
Partly Cloudy
Min: 12 | Max: 16
Partly cloudy, chance of rain
Min: 7 | Max: 14
Partly Cloudy
Min: 7 | Max: 13
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 10 | Max: 17
Partly Cloudy
Min: 9 | Max: 14
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 11 | Max: 17
Partly Cloudy
Min: 10 | Max: 15
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 12 | Max: 17
BULGARIA IN PICTURES
Which world-famous Bulgarian artist designed QSL cards for Radio Bulgaria?
Yasen Gyuzelev
Theodore Ushev
Christo Javacheff - Christo
Ilia Peikov
Lika Yanko

BULGARIANS ABROAD

Български English Русский Deutsch Српски Français Ελληνικά Español Shqip Türkçe Română

english@bnr.bg

+359 2 9336 661

Общи условия за използване на сайта | Политика за поверителност | Политика за "бисквитки"