Two Spartan aircraft and two Cougar helicopters were put on standby to provide assistance following the serious pile-up on the Trakia motorway near the Zimnitsa junction, close to Yambol. This was announced by Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov.
“This morning, we organised the deployment of teams from the Military Medical Academy in Sliven—two teams with ambulances,” Stoyanov said. According to him, two Spartan aircraft had been relocated to Bezmer Air Base, while two Cougar helicopters had been prepared to provide assistance.
“We had two Cougar helicopters ready, along with two additional teams at Krumovo Air Base, prepared to provide the necessary assistance,” the minister added.
Ambulances were also sent from nearby Bulgarian Army formations. The Ministry of Defence is assisting the Ministry of Health with the response following the incident.
12 dead and nearly 50 injured
A total of 86 vehicles were involved in the two serious crashes that occurred in dense fog on the Trakia motorway. The deaths of 12 people have been confirmed, while nearly 50 others were injured, BNT reported.
The scale of the incident required the involvement of medical teams and ambulances, with air transport placed on standby. At present, the minister’s statement does not make clear whether the aircraft and helicopters were used to transport the injured or remained in reserve.
Sources: bntnews.bg