Bulgaria motorway pile-ups leave 12 dead amid dense fog

At least a dozen people have died and approximately 50 others have sustained injuries following massive multi-vehicle collisions in south-eastern Bulgaria, authorities have confirmed. The catastrophic pile-ups occurred on Tuesday morning along a major transport route shrouded in heavy fog.

According to Health Minister Katya Ivkova, 11 individuals lost their lives immediately at the scene close to the town of Zimnitsa. A twelfth victim succumbed to their injuries later in hospital. Scores of injured motorists and passengers were transported to medical facilities across the Sliven, Yambol, and Burgas regions.

The disaster unfolded on the Trakia motorway, a vital arterial highway linking the capital city of Sofia to Bulgaria's Black Sea coast. Sliven Regional Governor Mihail Kasherov stated that more than 70 cars and heavy goods vehicles were caught up in two separate chain-reaction crashes, as reported by the state news agency BTA.

The initial collision occurred on the eastbound stretch of the road, largely triggered by severely reduced visibility caused by thick fog. Shortly afterward, a secondary pile-up happened on the opposing carriageway heading toward Sofia. Investigators believe this second incident was caused by the combination of dense fog and drivers becoming distracted by the wreckage on the other side of the road.

Galin Kostov, director of the national road administration, noted that damp road conditions compounded the hazard, pointing out that motorists had been travelling at speeds unsuited to the poor weather. Officials announced that the highway would stay shut until emergency crews could clear the extensive debris.

Emergency services were alerted to the scene shortly after 07:00 local time. Rescue efforts faced severe challenges, with Yambol Regional Governor Georgi Chalakov reporting that the thick atmospheric conditions prevented medical evacuation helicopters from flying. Emergency crews were forced to cut away metal safety barriers along the motorway to reach individuals trapped inside their vehicles.

Prime Minister Rumen Radev, who left a press event with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to inspect the crash site directly, declared Wednesday a national day of mourning in remembrance of the victims.