“Safe journey to Paradise, little eagles”: Emotional messages for the victims of the tragedy outside Toumba Stadium

29/01/2026 – 17:33
The funerals of the seven PAOK supporters will take place on Friday and Saturday

The funerals of the seven PAOK supporters who lost their lives in the road accident in Romania will be held on Friday (30/1) and Saturday (31/1) in Thessaloniki, Alexandria in Imathia, and Aronas in Pieria, according to voria.gr.

29/01/2026 – 17:21
“We are deeply moved; words are unnecessary at this moment,” said Father Symeon, who chanted at the memorial service

How the victims will be received by PAOK supporters

PAOK fans will receive the C-130 aircraft at “Macedonia” Airport. This will be followed by a motorcade procession from the airport to Toumba Stadium, where they will circle the stadium. Afterwards, they will stand in front of Gate 4, where the rest of the supporters—who were unable to travel by vehicle to “Macedonia” Airport—will be waiting.

• A C-130 aircraft arrived in Timișoara to collect the bodies of the seven PAOK supporters. The aircraft had taken off from Elefsina shortly before 14:00.
• At the airport in the Romanian city, a trisagion memorial service is being held for the young victims by Metropolitan Ioannis of Banat.
• Shortly afterwards, the C-130 carrying the bodies of the seven PAOK supporters will depart for “Macedonia” Airport in Thessaloniki.
• Both at the airport and at Toumba Stadium, organized PAOK supporters have arranged memorial events in honor of the young men who were lost.
• Earlier, just after 13:00, the two injured survivors of the fatal road accident in Romania arrived in Thessaloniki.
  See the return of Mario’s and Kostas as covered live by protothema.gr.

Return of the injured PAOK supporters

• Initially, the injured were taken to the Emergency Department, where they are being treated in the short-term hospitalization unit until they are admitted to hospital wards.
• The third injured person remains hospitalized in Timișoara until doctors decide he can be discharged and return to Greece.
• The PAOK stand will be closed during the match with Lyon, and the final farewell will take place during the match with Panserraikos (see more here).
• Watch the transfer from Romania with the EKAV aircraft to Timișoara, as broadcast live by protothema.gr and Marinos Aleiferis.

The bodies of the seven PAOK supporters return to Greece today – live

How the victims will be received by PAOK supporters

PAOK fans will receive the C-130 at “Macedonia” Airport. A motorcade will then follow from the airport to Toumba Stadium, where they will circle the stadium. Afterwards, they will gather in front of Gate 4, where other supporters who could not travel to the airport will be waiting.

29/01/2026 – 16:48
Statements by the Hellenic Football Federation president, Makis Gagatsis, outside Toumba Stadium

“In moments like these, words are unnecessary. I was, am, and will always be a member of the PAOK family. January 27 is a day of mourning for the PAOK family and Thessaloniki, for Greek football, Greek sports, and society.”

— Makis Gagatsis, President of the HFF

29/01/2026 – 16:43
Images outside Gate 1 at Toumba Stadium

29/01/2026 – 16:39
The C-130 has taken off, beginning the journey to Thessaloniki.

29/01/2026 – 16:34
The C-130 prepares for takeoff from Timișoara Airport.

29/01/2026 – 16:27
PAOK supporters gather at Toumba Stadium to head to the airport to receive the victims’ bodies.

29/01/2026 – 16:24
The Metropolitan’s message at the memorial service

Father Symeon, who chanted at the trisagion, spoke to protothema.gr about the Metropolitan’s message, calling it deeply moving. He said prayers were offered for the salvation of the victims’ souls and added that they will meet again at the gates of heaven.

29/01/2026 – 16:20
The doors and ramp of the C-130 have closed – preparing for takeoff.

29/01/2026 – 16:14
Metropolitan Ioannis and the Greek Ambassador to Romania accompanied the coffins to the ramp of the C-130.

29/01/2026 – 16:13
PAOK supporters will receive the seven bodies at “Macedonia” Airport.

29/01/2026 – 16:08
The process of loading the coffins into the C-130 begins.

29/01/2026 – 16:06
The moment the Hellenic Air Force C-130 arrives at Timișoara Airport.

29/01/2026 – 16:05
The Metropolitan called out the names of the seven victims and delivered a message in Romanian.

29/01/2026 – 16:01
Metropolitan Ioannis placed a white rose on each coffin.

29/01/2026 – 15:55
The memorial service was held in both Greek and Romanian at the airport.

29/01/2026 – 15:53
The names and ages of the victims are written on the coffins. The coffins were placed in a special area for the trisagion.

29/01/2026 – 15:51
General admission €5 for the PAOK–Panserraikos match as a final farewell

PAOK FC announcement:
“PAOK FC announces that today, Thursday (29/01) at 10:00, online ticket sales began for the match PAOK–Panserraikos, with a general admission price of €5, for Matchday 19 of the Stoiximan Super League 2025–26, to be played on Sunday (01/02) at 19:30 at Toumba Stadium.”

29/01/2026 – 15:49
A memorial service will be held at the Timișoara airport by the Metropolitan of Banat.

29/01/2026 – 15:39
The C-130 arrived in Timișoara to collect the bodies transported to the airport by hearses.

29/01/2026 – 15:36
The moment the two injured supporters arrive at Papageorgiou Hospital in Thessaloniki.

29/01/2026 – 15:23
EKAV on standby for the third injured person, who remains in Romania. Doctors decided that immediate surgery is required, so air transfer was not possible today. EKAV remains ready once it becomes medically safe.

29/01/2026 – 15:14
Asked about psychological support, the Deputy Governor of the 3rd Health Region, Michalis Koupkas, said the issue will be evaluated by the treating doctors.

The stand that was to host PAOK supporters at Lyon’s stadium will remain closed as a sign of mourning

29/01/2026 14:48
Lyon supporters will honor the PAOK fans who were killed in the road accident; a banner will also be displayed.

29/01/2026 14:46
The condition of the injured
According to information, one of the two injured is a polytrauma patient and is expected to require hospitalization for several days, while the second is in better condition and may not need to be hospitalized.

Relatives of the two young men also at the hospital

29/01/2026 13:41
The ambulances with the injured have set off for Papageorgiou Hospital

29/01/2026 13:40
The transfer of the second injured person into the EKAB ambulance has been completed

29/01/2026 13:39
The C-130 aircraft in Elefsina is also being prepared to fly to Timișoara

29/01/2026 13:35
The transfer of the second injured person into the EKAB ambulance begins

29/01/2026 13:32
The relatives of the injured are returning from Romania on their own
The relatives of the injured who rushed to Romania are returning to Greece on their own, as they were not allowed to accompany them on the EKAB aircraft for safety reasons

29/01/2026 13:28
The transfer of one of the injured from the aircraft to the ambulance has been completed

29/01/2026 13:26
With the assistance of the EKAB crew, the injured are being transferred to the ambulances

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The EKAV medical aircraft has arrived in Timișoara, Romania, to transport two injured PAOK supporters back to Greece following the deadly road accident that claimed the lives of seven fans.

Twenty-year-old Konstantinos and 28-year-old Marios, two of the three injured supporters, are expected to return to Greece within hours. The EKAV plane took off from Elefsina shortly after 9:15 a.m. and landed in Timișoara at 10:33 a.m.

Konstantinos was the first to be discharged from Timișoara Hospital and was transferred by ambulance to the city’s airport, where he boarded the EKAV aircraft for his return to Greece.

His father, who rushed to the hospital, said emotionally:
“He has suffered a head injury and is in shock. Things are not easy, but we are moving in a positive direction. My condolences to the families of the victims.”

Shortly afterward, Marios was also discharged and transported by ambulance to the airport.

The third injured supporter, 20-year-old Kostas, remains hospitalized in Timișoara and underwent surgery yesterday. Doctors say he needs to stay in hospital for some time.

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Repatriation of the Seven Victims’ Bodies

Later today, the bodies of the seven PAOK supporters who were killed in the crash on Tuesday afternoon will also be repatriated to Greece. A C-130 military aircraft is scheduled to depart Greece at 1:00 p.m. for this purpose.

Meanwhile, the investigation by Romanian authorities continues, with critical questions still unanswered regarding the exact causes of the accident.

The identification process for all victims was completed yesterday.

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Testimony from One of the Injured Survivors

One of the injured survivors, speaking to MEGA TV, said:
“I remember everything. I never lost consciousness, not even for a moment. We were like brothers in the van—we are very close friends.”

“I don’t know exactly what happened; I wasn’t driving. Right now, I am mourning my friends. Today is a day of grief. I don’t care what statements have been given—I can’t know that,” he added.

He continued:
“There are three survivors—myself and two others in hospital—and seven dead. I’m alone in a room, I don’t speak Romanian and my English isn’t very good. By chance, I heard their voices while being taken for an MRI, and at least I knew they were alive. The doctors told me they had a stable night and are doing well. It’s very likely we will all leave by plane tomorrow. I have some fractures and broken bones.”

Describing the trip, he said the van was rented from Edessa, with passengers picked up in Thessaloniki and other regions.
“We were like brothers. We were very close friends,” he concluded.

PAOK to Pay Tribute on Sunday

On Sunday, during PAOK’s match against Panserraikos, the entire club—players, management, and fans—will pay tribute to the seven young supporters who lost their lives.

PAOK FC has announced a general admission price of €5, while supporters’ associations are preparing commemorative actions in memory of the victims.
The match will be dedicated entirely to them.