Czech village mourns four citizens lost in Croatia boat collision

Tragedy has struck the Czech village of Bolatice after four of its citizens died in a maritime accident near Split, Croatia. The news has cast a pall of grief over the community, with local officials expressing deep sorrow for the victims and their families.

Three of the four Czech nationals who perished in the collision were residents of Bolatice. The village has responded by flying a black flag of mourning from its municipal building. The mayor, Herbert Pavera, shared his personal connection to the deceased, noting he knew them from various local events. He also mentioned that one of the victims had previously battled leukemia.

"I am very sorry for their families, children and grandchildren who will never see their parents or grandparents again," Pavera told Czech Nova TV, reflecting the profound loss felt by the community. Social media has been flooded with messages of shock and disbelief from residents who initially struggled to accept the tragic news.

The accident occurred in the Splitska Vrata strait, a busy waterway between the islands of Brač and Šolta, when a sailboat carrying eight Czechs collided with a passenger catamaran. While four people were rescued from the sea, four others died. The exact cause of the collision remains under investigation, with authorities expected to determine which vessel had the right of way.