Fog-Trapped Motorway Chaos in Yambol Leaves 12 Dead, Dozens Injured
Dense fog triggers multi-vehicle pileup on the Sofia-Burgas route in Bulgaria, killing 12 and injuring 46. PM Radev calls the event a tragedy.
POLICY WIRE — Sofia, Bulgaria — A deadly chain-reaction collision on a fog-bound highway in eastern Bulgaria claimed at least 12 lives, according to government officials. The incident resulted in dozens of injuries, marking one of the region’s most severe recent transport disasters.
The crash occurred Tuesday near Yambol, situated on the critical corridor connecting the capital, Sofia, to the Black Sea port city of Burgas. The severity of the accident forced authorities to close the road in both directions to manage the scene.
Georgi Chalakov, the governor of the Yambol region, estimated that roughly 50 vehicles, consisting of both cars and trucks, became entangled in the series of crashes. The BTA state news agency reported these figures regarding the scale of the disaster.
Health Minister Katya Ivkova provided specific details on the casualties, stating that 10 individuals died at the scene. She further noted that two others passed away while being transported to medical facilities for treatment.
In total, Ivkova confirmed that 46 injured survivors were moved to nearby hospitals for emergency care. The government coordinated a significant rescue response to handle the mass casualty event.
Prime Minister Rumen Radev was scheduled to meet with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during her visit to Bulgaria. He canceled his official engagements for the remainder of Tuesday and characterized the event as a tragedy.
Medical assets, including two aircraft equipped with stretchers and specialized medical teams, were dispatched to assist with the transfer of the injured to hospitals in surrounding cities.
The accident highlights ongoing safety concerns in the area, as motorways in southeastern Bulgaria are consistently ranked among the most hazardous in the European Union.
Data from the European Commission indicates that Bulgaria recorded 71 road fatalities per million inhabitants in 2025. This figure represents the highest rate of road deaths within the EU.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)