A 26-year-old cyclist from Burgas has died in hospital after a crash at the Okeanski Ribolov junction, friends of the young man say. He fought for his life for several days, but the head injury proved fatal.

He was rushed into the emergency ward in immediate danger of dying, and within hours doctors listed his condition as critical. They tried to stabilize him, but his injuries were too severe to survive.

The crash happened on September 30 at around 4pm at the busy junction of Ivan Vazov Boulevard and Sportna Street. The cyclist was riding down from the overpass toward Sportna Street but ended up in the oncoming lane. A 54-year-old man from Burgas driving a Volkswagen Golf was turning left from Sportna Street onto the overpass on a green light, where the turn is allowed. The two hit each other head-on, and the young man was rushed to hospital.

The driver tested negative for alcohol and drugs. Police also took a blood sample from him, as they do after any serious crash.

Why the cyclist ended up in the oncoming lane seconds before the crash is still unclear. Police are also looking into whether he was heading home to the Meden Rudnik district, though why he took that route hasn't been established.