Eleven dead in major Bulgarian highway pileup caused by fog

Eleven people died and dozens more were injured in multi-vehicle pileups on both sides of a motorway in southeastern Bulgaria on Tuesday. The crashes occurred in thick fog on the A1 Trakia motorway, which links the capital city of Sofia to Burgas on the Black Sea, near the city of Yambol. Police, firefighters, and ambulance crews responded to the emergency scene. [1][2][3]

The Irish Examiner and Euronews reported that more than 50 vehicles were involved in the disaster, with cars and trucks piled across six lanes of the highway. Images showed vehicles crushed, overturned, or veered off the road. The road has been closed in both directions. Outlets differed slightly on the casualty count. The Irish Examiner cited the interior ministry stating that 50 injured people were taken to hospital, while Euronews reported that 48 people were injured. [1][3]

Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev confirmed the toll to reporters, stating that 11 people were dead at the scene. RTÉ noted that roads in Bulgaria rank as the most dangerous in the European Union. [1][2][3]

As FTMQ News reported earlier, state media initially confirmed that a massive crash involving dozens of vehicles had left 11 people dead and dozens injured in thick fog near Yambol on the highway connecting Sofia with Burgas. [8]