The community of Paleokom in Serres continues to be shaken after the tragic road accident on Friday morning, in which an Albanian mother and her 21-year-old son lost their lives while on their way to work. The greatest pain lies with the 43-year-old's husband and the young man's father, who lost his wife and son within seconds.
In a statement to Greek public television ERT , he said through tears: "I lost both my wife and my child. They were going to work, I don't know what happened. I lost everything." His words have touched public opinion in Greece, as the family faces one of the worst tragedies.
How did the accident happen?
According to Greek authorities, the accident occurred at around 07:30 on the provincial road Amfipolis–Drama, near Paleokomi. The 21-year-old was at the wheel of the vehicle, while his 43-year-old mother was sitting in the passenger seat. For reasons that are still under investigation, the car crossed into the opposite lane and collided head-on with a truck. The collision was extremely strong and the mother and son died at the scene. The 56-year-old driver of the truck, who was slightly injured, has recounted the dramatic moments of the accident.
“I was driving normally in my lane at about 75-80 kilometers per hour. Suddenly I saw a car coming towards me. It had lost control and had crossed into my direction. I tried to avoid it by moving to the left, but I didn’t have time,” he told Mega television. A key element in the investigation is expected to be the footage recorded by the camera installed in the truck. According to Greek media, at the time of the accident the driver was broadcasting live on Facebook via the vehicle’s camera, which filmed the entire event. The footage shows the truck driving normally on the Amfipolis–Drama road, while the vehicle coming from the opposite side crosses the dividing line and enters the truck’s lane, making the collision inevitable.
The video is expected to be analyzed by experts, as it is considered important evidence for fully elucidating the dynamics of the accident.
Albanian family integrated for years
The victims were Albanian citizens who had lived in the Paleokomi area for years and worked in a local business. They were known as hardworking and respected people in the community. The event has caused great pain among the residents of the area, while dozens of messages of condolence have been published on social networks.
The truck driver was transported to Drama Hospital, where he received first aid and is out of danger. Greek authorities are continuing their investigations to determine the cause that led the vehicle driven by the 21-year-old into the opposite lane, causing the tragedy that claimed the lives of the mother and son.
