The body of the second child, who was being sought after the serious incident in the Struma River near the village of Pastuh, was found after a rescue operation that lasted more than 24 hours. Thus, the number of victims in the tragedy reached four people, Nova TV reported.
For over 24 hours, dozens of rescuers, firefighters, police officers and volunteers searched the area on land and water. The operation used boats, sonar equipment, drones and walking teams that examined the river's course.
The boy was found by two divers from Kyustendil, who participated in the rescue operation together with an employee of the Regional Service “Fire Safety and Population Protection“. The body was found near the location where the other victims of the tragic incident were previously found. The body is to be handed over to forensic doctors for an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.
The incident occurred on Friday afternoon, when three children, ages 6, 8 and 11, were on a picnic with their grandparents by the river. Two of the boys entered the water but were swept away by the strong current. The adults tried to save them, but were also swept away by the river.
The bodies of the grandparents were later found, and the first child was found on Friday evening. The second missing boy was found this afternoon.
The children's six-year-old cousin remained on the shore and managed to seek help. According to the information, he ran to the nearby road and stopped passing cars to signal what was happening.
The distress signal was sent between 5:20 and 5:30 p.m. on Friday. Shortly thereafter, teams from the police, fire department and Mountain Rescue Service were sent to the scene. Volunteers from Kyustendil and Boboshevo also joined the search, as well as a specialized team from the Sofia Municipality, equipped with a boat, sonar and equipment for rescue operations in water.
The Kyustendil District Prosecutor's Office has been notified of the case, under whose leadership the procedural and investigative actions to clarify all the circumstances surrounding the tragedy continue.