Thousands of mourners lined the streets of Thessaloniki on Thursday evening as a military transport plane repatriated the bodies of seven PAOK fans killed in a traffic collision in Romania, returning them to a city plunged into deep mourning ahead of funerals set for Friday and Saturday.
The Hellenic Air Force C-130 landed at Macedonia Airport just after 6 p.m., carrying the coffins of the victims who died Tuesday when their van collided with a tanker near Timisoara, Romania. The group had been traveling to France for Thursday night’s UEFA Europa League match against Lyon.
A procession of seven hearses, escorted by scores of motorcyclists, transported the coffins from the airport to the club’s Toumba Stadium.
Fans gathered at Gate 4, lighting hundreds of candles and chanting in tribute to the young supporters.
Before the flight departed Romania, a memorial service was held on the tarmac at Timisoara airport.
Metropolitan Ioan of Banat, of the Romanian Orthodox Church, placed a single white rose on each coffin and tearfully recited the victims' names.
Hours prior to the repatriation of the deceased, a Beechcraft King Air ambulance transported two of the three injured survivors from Timisoara to Thessaloniki for hospitalization.
The third survivor remains in critical condition in a Romanian hospital following a second surgery and was deemed too unstable to travel.
PAOK FC issued a statement promising to "stand by the families of our 10 fans," with a club official confirming that the team will provide full moral and financial support. The tragedy has cast a heavy shadow over the club, recalling memories of the 1999 Tempi valley bus accident that claimed the lives of six fans.