At least 12 people have been killed and more than 50 injured after a massive pile-up involving around 50 vehicles on a fog-covered motorway in Bulgaria.
The horrific collision happened early Tuesday morning on the Trakia motorway near Yambol in the country’s south-east, involving cars, buses and heavy trucks across multiple lanes.
The wreckage was scattered across both sides of the highway, with several vehicles crushed, overturned or thrown off the road.
Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev described the incident as a “tragedy” as emergency teams rushed to rescue victims and transport the injured to hospitals.
Health Minister Katya Ivkova said 10 people died at the scene, while another two succumbed to their injuries while being transported to hospital.
A total of 46 people were taken to medical facilities, many suffering multiple injuries, including severe fractures. Local media reported that several victims remained in critical condition.
An emergency aircraft was reportedly deployed to assist with evacuating the injured, while ambulances arrived in convoys as rescue operations continued.
General Secretary of the Interior Ministry Lyubomir Nikolov said dense fog was believed to have contributed to the disaster.
Preliminary investigations indicated that the chain collision began when a bus and a truck crashed on the side of the motorway heading towards Burgas, triggering a series of subsequent collisions.
Todor Mishinev, head of the local traffic police, said some victims were trapped inside tanker trucks, forcing rescuers to cut through twisted metal to reach them.
Authorities said their immediate priority was to complete the rescue operation before proceeding with formal investigations.
“Once it is completed, the procedural and investigative actions will be carried out,” officials said.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who was visiting Bulgaria when the crash occurred, announced that she would shorten her trip to allow the Prime Minister to focus on the emergency.
“I would
