Bulgaria Welcomes Dara After Eurovision Triumph

• May 17, 2026 | 20:44

Bulgarian singer Dara landed at Sofia's Vasil Levski Airport with a flight from Vienna just hours after her historic victory at the Eurovision contest. Hundreds of fans, family, and journalists gathered to welcome the singer, who brought the first triumph for Bulgaria in the musical competition.

Dara's flight was met with a water salute, a traditional aviation ceremony where two fire trucks spray powerful water jets into the air to create an arch through which the aircraft passes after landing. This is a sign of respect, acknowledgment, and celebration. After landing, the plane taxis down the runway, and fire trucks on either side create a water "arch." The plane slowly passes under it—this is the actual "water salute."

The tradition comes from fire services in aviation and has become an international symbol of honor and respect—a "water bow" to the crew and passengers.

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"I have no idea what to expect, but I am sure to see my fans because I have something very special for them. Thank you for being here! I am very happy!"

Dara admitted she could feel the love from people even from the plane.

"I can't wait to immerse myself in this love and to preserve this moment for a lifetime! To enjoy it and to be able to process all this energy and transform it, channel it correctly. This was just the first step towards my mission, and it's a great first step. From here onwards, there is still much to build for Bulgarian art and Bulgarian music."

Photographer: Borislav Trochev