site.btaBulgaria Mourns Victims of Vakarel Bus Crash

Sofia, April 14 (BTA) - Saturday was a day of mourning in Bulgaria for the victims of a deadly bus crash on Friday, which killed 6 people and injured over 20.

The flags were flown at half mast during the day and all celebrations were called off.

A car rammed into a passenger bus near Vakarel on the Trakia Motorway shortly after 11 a.m. on Friday. As a result of the collision, the bus carrying 45 passengers capsized into the roadside ditch.

The observing prosecutor Saturday said that the car's driver, a 29-year-old woman from Pleven (Northern Bulgaria), has been detained for 72 hours. She has been charged with causing a traffic accident that killed six persons. The technical check of her car showed the vehicle was not in disrepair. The woman was found to have had a serious offence two years ago related to drunk driving. In this case she tested negative for alcohol and drug use. The test results of the bus driver were also negative.

Also on Saturday, the European Commission said its President Jean-Claude Juncker has sent a letter of condolence to Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov.