A fatal accident occurred on Sunday during the Aladzha Monastery hill climb car race near Varna, leaving one person dead and eight others injured. The event, part of the National Rally Mountain Climbing Championship and organized by the Automobile Federation of Bulgaria, turned tragic when a car driven by Neyko Neykov lost control on a turn, breached a guardrail, and struck spectators. A 60-year-old man died at the scene, while a 27-year-old woman was rushed to intensive care with life-threatening injuries. Several other spectators sustained fractures and minor injuries. The driver, who was unharmed, has been detained for 24 hours.

Race officials later clarified that the area where the accident occurred was off-limits to spectators. Slavi Slavov, the rally’s sports director, said warning signs and barrier tape had been placed, and that 45 organizers and 15 municipal police officers were assigned to monitor safety along the 3.35-kilometer course. According to Slavov, spectators may have accessed the restricted area via the forest.

The Varna District Prosecution Office has opened a pre-trial investigation under Article 123 of the Criminal Code, which pertains to sporting events considered high-risk activities. The Ministry of Youth and Sports ordered an immediate inspection of the Automobile Federation and the event’s organization to verify adherence to safety regulations. A special commission will examine whether all standards were followed and if the security measures were sufficient.

Chief Commissioner Petko Kamburov, head of Varna Traffic Police, confirmed that Neykov voluntarily underwent field alcohol and drug tests. The alcohol test returned negative, but the drug test showed the presence of amphetamines. Blood samples have been sent to the Military Medical Academy for confirmation, as field tests can produce false positives. Commissioner Dimitar Lukov, head of Varna Security Police, emphasized that local police were only responsible for controlling civilian traffic and were not in charge of race safety.

Medical teams transported the injured to St. Anna University Hospital and other local facilities. Dr. Yulian Nachev from St. Anna’s shock unit stated that the 27-year-old woman was intubated, with multiple severe injuries, and her condition remained critical. Among other injured, a 39-year-old man suffered an ankle fracture. Emergency services, including police, ambulance, and fire brigade, responded immediately to the scene, halting the race and evacuating the spectators.

Organizers and the Federation maintained that all safety measures were in place. Kaloyan Stanchev, chairman of the Automobile Federation, stated that racing accidents carry inherent risks despite rigorous precautions. Deputy Mayor of Varna Iliya Koev confirmed that the route was secured and pledged cooperation with investigators.

Slavov detailed that the first warm-up run occurred at 10:20 a.m., with Neykov starting at 11:07 a.m., and the crash occurred less than a minute later. Trace analysis showed that the driver had applied brakes but was unable to control the vehicle, which collided with the guardrail. All competitors had been walked through the track and tested for alcohol, with standard medical checks conducted beforehand.

The competition, attended by 34 crews from across Bulgaria, was held in memory of Varna driver Todor Slavov, who died ten years ago in a similar rally accident. Officials continue to investigate the incident, evaluating both the actions of the driver and the circumstances surrounding spectators entering prohibited zones.