Driver detained after chase involving migrants near Burgas

BTA

A driver, a Romanian citizen, has been detained for questioning, BTA reports. The incident that led to this happened near Lake Vaya in Burgas, where a car carrying migrants overturned after a chase by officers of the "Border Police", BNR reports.

BTA

The situation is unfolding against a backdrop of tension. Around 21:20, the first police patrol noticed a car being driven in an extremely aggressive and fast manner. The patrol attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver did not comply.

BTA

The director of the "Border Police", Anton Zlatanov, explained to journalists that the established procedure had been activated. "We have a procedure in place, especially after the deceased colleagues in Burgas three years ago, in case of non-compliance, all our patrols, which are police, regardless of whether they are from the "Border Police", the "Gendarmerie", or the regional directorates of the Ministry of Interior, immediately switch to working on one frequency and maintain contact with each other, so that everyone is aware of the situation and can carry out the appropriate, enclosing measures," he said.

BTA

"The pursuit lasted about half an hour," added Chief Commissioner Zlatanov. "There are two more instances of non-compliance with our patrols on the road. The Romanian driver reversed the direction of travel twice on the coastal road. Finally, he headed towards the city of Burgas again."

BTA

Officers set up a double point. In the first attempt to deploy a spike strip, the driver approached closely to a car with Bulgarian citizens, even hitting it from behind several times. The people in that car are fine, but the tension is increasing.

BTA

The next phase of the pursuit unfolded at the second point, where the police managed to deploy the spikes. The driver tried to avoid them and in this attempt fell off the road, Zlatanov shared.

BTA

Radi Penev, deputy director of the police in Burgas, announced at a briefing that the methodology of interaction between the Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Interior and the "Border Police" had been followed. The protocols and interactions have been coordinated. The main goal was to prevent the vehicle from entering the urban area and the road arteries of the city. Important results have been achieved, including the preservation of the health and lives of uniformed officers and citizens, as well as the saving of human lives.