Matei Ștefan Berevoianu, 21, was driving his fiancée and three friends to a mountain peak in Romania’s Iezer mountains to watch the sunrise when their vehicle skidded down a ravine
A forest ranger was sent to help search for the sole survivor of a horrific car crash – without realising it was his own son.
Matei Ștefan Berevoianu, 21, had been driving a 4×4 he bought just days earlier when tragedy struck. He, his fiancée Diana Ștefania Boteanu, 23, and three friends were heading to a mountain peak to watch the sunrise on Saturday. It was dark, and the narrow path they took was meant for walkers.
On a steep, slippery section, the vehicle skidded and plunged almost 300 metres down a ravine. Matei and three of his passengers died instantly. The only survivor, 21-year-old Costin Bulgaru, “was in the back seat, behind the driver, and jumped from the car when he saw what was happening,” said paramedic Victoria Lâsâi.
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Badly injured, Costin stayed near the edge for 10 hours, unable to move, in an area known for bears. He was rescued around 4pm after two berry pickers heard his cries for help.
They couldn’t reach him themselves, so went to the nearest village to raise the alarm. Among those called to the search was Costin’s father, a forest ranger. He had no idea his son was involved and was devastated when the truth emerged.
Costin was airlifted from Romania’s Iezer Mountains to a hospital in Braşov, suffering multiple fractures – including to his spine – and severe trauma. He is in intensive care, serious but stable, and has already had surgery on his arm.
The victims have been named as Matei Ștefan Berevoianu, 21, his fiancée Diana Ștefania Boteanu, 23, Teodor Ștefan Darie, 20, and Alexandra Gorgan, 21. The group had spent the night before the accident camping in tents.
Cristian Toma, of Salvamont Argeş mountain rescue, said: “I asked the survivor what had happened. He said the driver had apparently tried to test the car’s power, lost control of the wheel, and they went over the edge.”
A criminal investigation for manslaughter and causing bodily harm is now underway, with other possible causes of the crash yet to be ruled out.