Eleven people have been killed and 48 injured in the serious pile-up crashes on the Trakia motorway near the Zimnitsa interchange. Prime Minister Rumen Radev announced the figures during a briefing with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
“First, I would like to express my sincere condolences to the families and relatives of those killed in the horrific crash on the Trakia motorway,” Radev said. Von der Leyen also expressed her condolences to the victims’ relatives.
Two incidents involving more than 50 vehicles
According to the Bulgarian National Television (BNT), two serious incidents occurred in both directions of the motorway, involving more than 50 cars and trucks. The first report was received at around 7:10 a.m. The crash in the direction of Burgas occurred at kilometre 289, while the second incident took place at kilometre 294, before the Zimnitsa interchange, in the direction of Sofia.
Dense fog, which significantly reduced visibility, was cited as the likely cause of the crashes. The Trakia motorway remains closed in both directions in the Yambol area, while emergency service teams and the Road Infrastructure Agency are working at the scene.
Spartan aircraft on standby for evacuation
Radev said that after landing in Varna, he had ordered a government aircraft to be sent to Burgas to transport injured people to hospitals in Sofia. Two Spartan aircraft carrying stretchers and medical teams have landed at the airport.
“The result so far is 11 dead and 48 injured,” Rumen Radev said.Because of the concentration of injured people in hospitals in Sliven and Yambol, the aircraft are being relocated to Bezmer Airport near Yambol. According to the prime minister, preparations remain in place to evacuate injured people from Sliven, Yambol and Burgas to medical facilities in Sofia.
Radev cancelled the remainder of his schedule in Varna, as well as the meeting of the Council of Ministers. An emergency coordination headquarters has been established to coordinate the response following the crash.