A severe accident occurred at two points on Bulgaria's motorway, involving over 70 vehicles crashing, resulting in at least 12 deaths and dozens injured.
Foreign news agencies reported that more than 70 vehicles collided at two locations on the Trakia Motorway near the town of Zimnitsa in southeastern Bulgaria on 10 Nov 2026 GMT+7, causing at least 12 fatalities and over 50 injuries.
Bulgarian authorities stated that dense fog drastically reduced visibility, which is believed to be the primary cause of the first accident on the eastbound side. The second accident on the westbound side toward Sofia likely resulted from thick fog and driver distraction after witnessing the initial crash.
Officials also noted that wet road surfaces and inappropriate speeds given the weather conditions contributed, forcing the temporary closure of the Trakia Motorway to clear the scene.
Katia Efkova, Bulgaria's Minister of Health, said 11 people died instantly at the scene, with one more dying later in hospital, totaling 12 fatalities. Around 50 injured persons were taken to hospitals in the provinces of Yambol, Sliven, and Burgas.
Jorgi Shalakoff, governor of Yambol province, reported receiving the emergency call at 07:10 local time on Tuesday (10 Nov). Rescue teams had to cut through road barriers to reach trapped victims. Additionally, the thick fog prevented helicopter evacuation of the injured.
A survivor recounted that the fog was so dense he could barely see the road and helped pull a man from a burning vehicle. Another witness said four trucks were following closely behind him, and he felt lucky to have survived.
At the time of the accident, Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev was holding a joint press conference with Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission. He immediately ended the briefing to visit the crash site and declared Wednesday (11 Nov) a national day of mourning for the victims.
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Source:bbc