Yambol:Eleven people were killed and dozens more were injured in a massive pileup during heavy fog on a motorway in southeastern Bulgaria. The tragic incident occurred on Tuesday and involved approximately 50 vehicles, including cars and trucks. The motorway connects Sofia to the Black Sea city of Burgas.
According to Sharjah 24, regional governor Georgi Chalakov reported that the crash took place near Yambol and images from the scene depicted crushed, overturned, and burnt-out vehicles tangled together. The accident has highlighted Bulgaria's standing as having the highest road fatality rate in the European Union.
Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev attributed the accident to a sudden drop in visibility, which decreased dramatically from 70–80 metres to just around 10 metres. He mentioned future plans to equip toll system gantries with display screens to alert drivers of changing weather conditions. Bogdan Milchev, chairman of the Road Safety Institute NGO, criticized the government for not closing the motorway section earlier.
The health ministry confirmed that ten individuals died at the scene, while another succumbed to injuries at the hospital. A total of 51 people were hospitalized in nearby cities, with 13 individuals listed in critical condition.
In response to the emergency, the Bulgarian government deployed two medical aircraft equipped with stretchers to the affected area. Prime Minister Rumen Radev canceled his afternoon appointments, and the government proposed declaring Wednesday as a national day of mourning. Condolences were expressed by President Iliana Iotova, who was returning from abroad, as well as by international leaders, including Romanian Foreign Minister Dan Neculaescu—who confirmed that one Romanian was among the injured—and European Council President António Costa.