Bulgarian motorway pile-ups leave at least 12 dead in thick fog

Two pile-ups struck the Trakia motorway in southeastern Bulgaria on Tuesday morning, November 10, according to Notícias ao Minuto. At least 12 people were killed and dozens were injured.

The crashes happened in thick fog. Officials attributed them to reduced visibility, The Independent reported. The motorway connects the capital, Sofia, with the Black Sea port of Burgas, according to NDTV Top Stories.

Reports published on November 10 gave differing accounts of the toll. nu.nl reported at least 11 deaths and 48 injuries, citing prime minister Rumen Radev, and said more than 50 vehicles were involved.

Other coverage put the death toll at 12. Notícias ao Minuto reported that the two pile-ups involved 86 vehicles and left 50 people injured. The supplied reports do not establish a precise sequence for those differing totals.

Police, firefighters and paramedics were dispatched to the scene for the rescue operation, according to Deutsche Welle.

Drone footage showed the aftermath near Yambol, with dozens of vehicles involved on the foggy highway, Euronews reported. Its account cited state media for a toll of 11 dead and dozens injured.

The accidents forced the motorway to close in both directions, according to NDTV Top Stories.

The highest death toll in the supplied coverage is at least 12, reported by Deutsche Welle, NDTV Top Stories and Notícias ao Minuto. Injury figures range from 48 to 50 where a specific number is given.

The accounts also differ on the number of vehicles involved, from around 50 to 86. The supplied coverage reports the road closure and emergency response, but gives no reopening time or detailed account of the injured people's conditions.

The main unresolved points are the confirmed casualty and vehicle totals, the condition of those injured and when the motorway can reopen. Officials have attributed the crashes to fog, but the supplied reports do not give a detailed reconstruction of how the two pile-ups began.