Bulgaria: Four Days On, No Trace of Missing 79-Year-Old Woman from Razhena

The search for 79-year-old Tanka Manova from the village of Razhena near Kazanlak has entered its fourth day, with authorities and residents continuing intensive efforts to locate her. Over the weekend, more than 50 volunteers joined police teams in combing the surrounding terrain, but no confirmed trace has yet been found.

According to relatives and locals, the woman was in good health and did not suffer from dementia or other serious conditions, raising the belief that she may have become disoriented rather than intentionally left the area. Her son, Rayko Manov, stated in a television interview that there had been no prior signs of concern regarding her condition or behavior.

The last confirmed sighting of Manova was recorded by surveillance cameras shortly before 8 a.m. on Friday. She had planned to meet a neighbor in Kazanlak to collect medication, but she never arrived. After she failed to appear, the neighbor initially assumed she may have gone to a nearby shop and only later raised the alarm after checking her home, where her bag and documents were found.

Footage later showed her leaving her house in home clothing. Additional cameras tracked her movement toward the neighboring village of Kanchevo, while another municipal camera system captured her heading in the direction of a canal separating the settlement from nearby forested areas. This zone has since become the focus of the search operation.

Local authorities, including village mayor Hristo Venedzhikov, confirmed that large sections of the area have already been thoroughly examined. The canal, managed by NEK, was temporarily drained when water levels were reduced by shutting off flow from the Koprinka Dam, allowing teams to search the riverbed. Despite these efforts, no evidence of her passage was discovered.

Drones equipped with thermal imaging technology have also been deployed, but aerial scans have not provided any new leads. Officials noted that a nearby restricted military training zone further complicates the search area, and permission has been requested to expand operations into that region.

Volunteers are expected to continue joining search teams, with local authorities appealing for additional assistance as the effort intensifies. Despite extensive ground, water, and aerial searches, the disappearance of Tanka Manova remains unresolved as the fourth day of operations continues.