At least 11 people have been killed and 46 others injured after two major pile-ups involving more than 70 vehicles on Bulgaria’s Trakia motorway.
The crashes occurred near the town of Zimnitsa in south-eastern Bulgaria, with Health Minister Katya Ivkova confirming that 10 people died at the scene while another succumbed to injuries in hospital.
Sliven regional governor Mihail Kasherov said more than 70 vehicles, including cars and lorries, were involved in the incidents.
Authorities suspect dense fog was responsible for the first collision on the eastbound carriageway, with poor visibility making it difficult for motorists to see vehicles ahead.
A second pile-up occurred on the opposite carriageway, which carries traffic towards Sofia. Reports from the Bulgarian state news agency BTA indicated that fog and drivers being distracted by the first crash may have contributed to the second incident.
Road administration director Galin Kostov said motorists had been travelling at speeds unsuitable for the prevailing conditions, which also included wet road surfaces.
The motorway was closed as emergency and rescue teams worked to clear the wreckage and assist those trapped in the damaged vehicles.
Yambol regional governor Georgi Chalakov said authorities first received reports of the crashes at around 07:10 local time. The injured were transported to hospitals across the Yambol, Sliven and Burgas regions.
Rescue teams reportedly removed sections of the crash barriers to reach trapped motorists. Dense fog also prevented the use of helicopters during evacuation operations.
Witnesses described extremely poor visibility at the scene, with one motorist telling Reuters that he helped pull a man from a burning vehicle.
The incident prompted Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev to cut short a news conference he was hosting alongside European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen following the reports of the fatalities.
Authorities are continuing efforts to clear the motorway and establish the full circumstances surrounding the crashes.
