Mother and infant die, father and child injured in Halkidiki tanker crash
A passenger car collided with a tanker on a provincial road near Polygyros on Wednesday evening. Two victims, a woman and an infant, were confirmed dead; a man and a child were seriously injured.
The crash
A passenger car and a tanker truck collided on the provincial road connecting Polygyros and Agios Nikolaos in the Halkidiki region of northern Greece, near the settlement of Metamorfosi, shortly before 18:30 on Wednesday, 15 July 2026. The exact circumstances of the collision remain under investigation, with authorities yet to determine what caused the vehicles to collide. Emergency services were alerted immediately, and both the fire brigade and ambulances from the National Centre for Emergency Care (EKAB) were dispatched. The road, a key link between Nea Moudania and Nikiti, was subsequently closed, causing significant disruption.
Casualties
Two occupants of the car died at the scene. Firefighters recovered the body of a woman and an infant, both unresponsive. Two other people, a man and a minor, were trapped inside the wreckage but were extracted alive with serious injuries. Early reports said the dead were a mother and her baby, while the injured were the father and another child, suggesting that a single family was involved in the tragedy. None of the victims have been publicly named. The tanker driver's condition was not reported.
Rescue operation
The Fire Brigade dispatched eight firefighters and three vehicles to the scene, using specialised rescue equipment to cut through the car's wreckage and free the victims.
The Operations Centre received a call at about 18:30 for a serious traffic accident involving a tanker and a passenger car. Our crews worked to extricate two people without vital signs and two others with serious injuries.
All four were handed over to EKAB ambulances, which transported them to the nearest hospital for necessary medical care. The operation lasted into the evening, and the road remained closed to traffic.
Investigation and aftermath
The exact cause of the crash remains unclear. Police and traffic authorities are investigating the circumstances, including whether speed, road conditions, or a driver error contributed to the collision. The provincial road where the accident occurred is known for heavy traffic during the summer tourist season, though the specific reasons for this incident are yet to be determined. As of the latest updates, the road is still closed while authorities conduct their investigation and clear the wreckage. No further details on the condition of the injured were immediately available.
