Joveski: Bus engine didn't catch on fire, victims to be identified very soon
Skopje, 25 November 2021 (MIA) — When he arrived at the scene of the bus crash, four empty portable fuel tanks were behind the bus but they weren't damaged at all, Chief State Prosecutor Ljubomir Joveski told Sitel TV.
Joveski said he was told by the Bulgarian investigators the fuel tanks were near the engine and the battery, the part of the bus that was damaged the least and that didn't catch on fire. He said the Bulgarian public prosecutor leading the case had also dismissed the rumors that the fuel tanks were full.
Joveski also said the Bulgarian investigators and the prosecutor arriving in North Macedonia on Friday will get the DNA samples collected from the bus crash victims' relatives to identify the bodies.
"Both the Bulgarian and the Macedonian side are making efforts to transport the victims' remains to the country and hand them over to their families as soon as possible. Identifying the bus accident victims won't take long. I expect the process to be over in the next few days," Joveski said.
Commenting the claim of the bus crash survivor who said he had saved eight, and not seven people, Joveski said the survivor, who is currently in hospital, did say that.
“This information comes from the passenger who actually broke the rear window of the bus,” Joveski said. “Still, it is just what he said. I believe things will become clearer based on the material evidence.”
The chief prosecutor said the passengers traveling together on the four coach buses had reportedly often changed seats, moving from one bus to another when they stopped at a gas station.
Joveski saw the Besa Trans company owner at the scene of the accident, he said, but he did not talk to him because of his role in the ongoing investigation.
He said the Bulgarian team of investigators and prosecutors would be provided with all the documentation they need.
“We seized all the documentation that Besa Trans had about the four buses as well as the company’s computers,” Joveski said.
He added that the Ministry of Interior had provided information about the vehicles' registration, the Customs Administration provided information related to the border crossing, and the Ministry of Transport provided paperwork on the company’s transportation licenses and permits for each registered bus.
“Bulgarian prosecutors will be interviewing their border police about the number of buses and passengers that crossed the border, and there is already camera footage that can help in this situation,” Joveski said. mr/