Bulgarian Ambassadors in Belgrade and Podgorica Commemorate 12 Bulgarian Children Who Died in Lim River 22 Years Ago

Metodi Yordanov, BTA Correspondent Teodora Encheva

Ambassadors Angelov (left) and Dimitrov (BTA Photo/Emil Conkic)

Bijelo polje, Montenegro,

06.03.2026 17:50

(BTA)

Bulgaria’s ambassadors to Serbia and Montenegro, Angel Angelov and Stefan Dimitrov, on Friday commemorated the 12 children from the Bulgarian town of Svishtov (on the Danube) who died in the waters of the Lim River on April 4, 2004.

The Bulgarian diplomats laid wreaths at the two memorials dedicated to the children, located on the territories of Serbia and Montenegro.

On April 4, 2004, a group of 34 students and 16 adults from Svishtov were returning by bus from a trip to the Croatian city of Dubrovnik. At around 9:00 p.m. Serbian time (10:00 p.m. Bulgarian time), on a curve along a mountain road, the driver lost control and the bus plunged into the Lim River near the Serbian village of Gostun, situated between the border towns of Bijelo Polje in Montenegro and Prijepolje in Serbia.

Twelve children died in the river, while 38 people were rescued. Many local residents from both sides of the border between Serbia and Montenegro took part in the rescue operations.

On Friday, representatives of seven Bulgarian municipalities twinned with municipalities in Montenegro also laid wreaths at the memorials in Bijelo Polje and Prijepolje.

As is the tradition, representatives of the local authorities in Bijelo Polje, as well as some of the rescuers from the tragic night 22 years ago, also laid wreaths and flowers in memory of the 12 children.

/RY/