Balkan Bulgarian Airlines Flight 107
| Industry | Airline |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Sofia , Bulgaria |
| Products | Air transport services |
Template:Infobox aircraft occurrence
Balkan Bulgarian Airlines Flight 107 refers to a fatal aviation incident on 16 March 1978 involving a Tupolev Tu-134 aircraft operated by Balkan Bulgarian Airlines. The flight was en route from Sofia Airport to Warsaw Chopin Airport. The crash resulted in the loss of all 73 individuals on board, including 66 passengers and seven crew members. This tragedy remains the deadliest aviation accident in Bulgaria’s history as of 2024. The precise cause behind the crash has never been conclusively determined.
A report published in 2024 by the journal "Biograph" uncovered testimonies from former agents of the communist-era Committee for State Security (DS). These witnesses claimed that two unregistered passengers, believed to be DS-trained operatives originating from Arab nations, were aboard. It is suggested that the plane was hijacked during flight and subsequently crashed following onboard conflict—events that the communist regime did not publicly acknowledge.[1][2]
Aircraft
The involved aircraft was a Tupolev Tu-134 bearing the tail number LZ-TUB, manufactured in 1968 by the Kharkiv State Aircraft Manufacturing Company. It was part of the fleet operated by Balkan Bulgarian Airlines and configured to seat 72 passengers along with a crew complement of seven. The pilot commanding this flight was Captain Hristo Hristov.[3][4]
Accident
Shortly after departing from Sofia, flight LZ 107 initiated its ascent towards an altitude of 8,850 metres (29,040 ft). However, upon reaching approximately 4,900 metres (16,100 ft), the aircraft altered its course to a heading of 050 degrees. It subsequently changed direction again to 270 degrees before entering an unusual descent. The plane ultimately crashed roughly 10 minutes after takeoff near the village of Gabare, close to Byala Slatina, situated about 130 km northeast of Sofia. All 73 individuals aboard lost their lives. At the time of impact, the aircraft was traveling at a velocity of 800 kilometres per hour (432 kn; 497 mph), with nearly full fuel tanks containing 11 tons of fuel. The exact nature of the emergency and whether control was maintained at the moment of the crash remain undetermined.
The Bulgarian Army promptly secured the crash site following the incident. The subsequent investigation was cursory in nature. Bulgarian officials attributed the cause to an "electrical installation malfunction". The tragedy quickly faded from public attention, with no additional inquiries undertaken. The rapid dismissal of the disaster and the limited scope of the investigation led to skepticism and alternative theories regarding the true cause. One hypothesis suggested a collision between the Tu-134 and a MiG-21 operated by the Bulgarian Air Force. Another theory proposed that the aircraft might have been accidentally downed by Bulgarian anti-aircraft defense systems. These speculations were fueled by the presence of a Warsaw Pact military installation in the vicinity.
Victims
The crash claimed the lives of 37 Polish passengers, 27 Bulgarian passengers, two British passengers, and seven crew members.
Among those who perished were athletes from Poland's national track cycling team, including Tadeusz Włodarczyk, Witold Stachowiak, Marek Kolasa, Krzysztof Otocki, and Jacek Zdaniuk. Additionally, members of Bulgaria's national rhythmic gymnastics team—Valentina Kirilova, Snezhana Mikhailova, Albena Petrova, Sevdalina Popova, and Rumyana Stefanova—along with their coach Julieta Shishmanova were also victims. Other notable individuals lost in the accident included Janusz Wilhelmi, Poland’s Vice-Minister of Culture, and Bulgarian footballer Georgi Dimitrov.
Commemoration
A marble memorial stands within a gorge close to the village of Gabare, honoring the tragedy and those who lost their lives. Situated in a remote and inaccessible location, it lacks any established access paths.[4] In 2016, thanks to the efforts of Leszek Sibilski and Wacław Skarul, a commemorative plaque was installed at the Arena Pruszków velodrome in Pruszków, Poland. The inscription reads: "The living owe it to those who can no longer speak to tell their story."[5]
See also
References
- UK CAA Document CAA 429 World Airline Accident Summary (ICAO Summary 4/80)
- ↑ Bozhkov, Bozhidar (21 April 2024). "Летящият ковчег на Държавна сигурност" [The Flying Coffin of State Security]. Biograph (151).
- ↑ "Wyborcza.pl". wyborcza.pl. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
- ↑ "Tu-134 c/n 8350501". Soviet Transport Database. Retrieved 6 February 2025.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedZimoch - ↑ "Odsłonięcie tablicy tragicznie zmarłym reprezentantom Polski" [Unveiling a plaque to the tragically deceased representatives of Poland]. Rowery.org (in polski). 23 November 2016. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
External links
Template:Tupolev Tu-16 family Template:Aviation accidents and incidents in 1978 Template:Aviation accidents and incidents in Bulgaria