A 55-year-old man was killed during a traditional Easter event in Croatia’s Zagorje region when a cannon fired unexpectedly in front of hundreds of spectators, local media reported.
The accident happened in Desinić, near Veliki Tabor, during a customary firing ceremony attended by around 400 residents.
The victim, identified by local media as Srećko Juričan, was a longtime participant in the event and a member of a local ceremonial gunmen’s association for more than three decades. The cannon involved in the accident was reportedly his own.
Local officials said the small community had been left in shock by the incident.
Desinić mayor Dražen Šurbek said the municipality did not remember a tragedy of this scale in recent memory, describing the victim as an experienced participant and well-known local figure.
Friends and residents paid tribute on social media, remembering him as a man with a passion for vintage tractors, ceremonial firing traditions and community life.
Croatian media reported that the cannon discharged unexpectedly during the event, killing him at the scene. Authorities have not yet announced the results of any official investigation.