In late December 2024, three Egyptian teenage boys tragically died in sub-zero temperatures near the Bulgarian-Turkish border after their desperate calls for help went unanswered. Bulgarian authorities are now facing serious accusations of obstructing rescue attempts, despite evidence suggesting that the boys, who were lost in the forests of Burgas, were at immediate risk of death.
Humanitarian organizations No Name Kitchen (NNK) and Collettivo Rotte Balcaniche (CRB) compiled a report, Frozen Lives, detailing the tragic events. The report includes testimonies, photos, and geolocations that allegedly show how Bulgarian authorities failed to assist the boys, who had called emergency services and sent GPS coordinates.
The Bulgarian border area, known for its rocky and hilly terrain, is a common crossing point for migrants seeking asylum in Europe. However, the region has been plagued by allegations of human rights abuses, including illegal pushbacks of asylum seekers to Turkey. The freezing winter conditions only intensified the danger for those attempting to cross.
On December 27, the two organizations were alerted to the boys’ distress calls. Despite the urgent situation, Bulgarian border police reportedly hindered rescue efforts by the humanitarian groups, even after being shown video footage of one of the boys in the snow.
The victims, identified as Ahmed Samra (17), Ahmed Elawdan (16), and Seifalla Elbeltagy (15), were found dead later, with one of the bodies, that of Ahmed Samra, showing signs that border police may have found him before his death but left him in the cold. Activists returned to the scene and found that all traces of the prints around the body had been erased. One of the boys’ bodies was also found to have been partly eaten by an animal.
The report also highlighted systematic harassment of rescue teams, including incidents of vandalism, confiscation of passports, and strip-searching of activists. One female activist described the uncomfortable and unnecessary strip-searching, which she felt was intended to intimidate and discourage future rescue efforts.
Human rights groups have raised concerns over increasing attacks on those aiding migrants in Europe, especially in Bulgaria. Last year, investigative reporting revealed that Frontex officers were being silenced regarding rights abuses at the Bulgarian border.
In light of the deaths, NNK and CRB are calling for an independent investigation into the Bulgarian authorities’ actions, accusing them of systemic violence and negligence. One activist emphasized that it should not be the responsibility of volunteers to conduct rescue operations, stating that border police are trained and paid for such tasks.
The Bulgarian Interior Ministry has rejected the allegations, claiming that border forces responded promptly to distress signals and conducted 515 search-and-rescue operations in 2024. However, they acknowledged that the bodies were found in different locations than initially reported and stressed that investigations are ongoing.
This tragedy has brought attention to the broader issue of migration management in Europe, with critics arguing that the deaths of three minors highlight a massive failure of both Bulgarian authorities and the European Union in protecting vulnerable migrants.