At Least 12 Killed in Two Major Pileups on Fog-Hit Bulgarian Motorway

At least 12 people were killed and 46 others injured in two major pileups on a motorway in eastern Bulgaria on Tuesday after thick fog severely reduced visibility, government officials said.

The crashes occurred at around 7am on the motorway connecting the capital, Sofia, with the Black Sea port of Burgas. The accidents involved vehicles travelling in opposite directions at the same location, forcing authorities to close the road in both directions.

Health Minister Katya Ivkova said 10 people died at the scene, while two others died as they were being transported to hospital. A further 46 people were taken to medical facilities for treatment.

Around 86 vehicles were involved in the collisions, many of them heavy goods trucks, according to officials. The scale of the wreckage caused major disruption as emergency services worked to reach victims and clear the motorway.

Regional Governor Mihail Kasherov, who visited the crash site, described the scene as beyond words and said he had never witnessed anything comparable.

Police have opened an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accidents. Initial assessments suggest that rapidly developing dense fog, a wet road surface and driving speeds unsuitable for the conditions may have contributed to the crashes.

Authorities have not yet provided a detailed breakdown of the vehicles involved or the identities of those killed and injured.

The accidents also disrupted a working visit to Bulgaria by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Her schedule was changed after Prime Minister Rumen Radev, who was hosting her, left to travel to the crash site.

Bulgarian President Iliana Yotova also cut short her participation in the Paris Peace Forum and began preparations to return home, according to a statement from her press office.

The motorway closure is expected to affect traffic between Sofia and Burgas while investigators examine the scene and recovery teams remove damaged vehicles.

Police are continuing to establish the sequence of events that led to the two collisions, with particular attention being given to visibility, road conditions and the speed of vehicles travelling through