Bulgarian Highway Pileup
Twelve people died and 50 others sustained injuries after a massive 70-vehicle pileup engulfed the Trakia motorway in southeastern Bulgaria on November 10, 2026, nos.nl reported.
The disaster unfolded in dense fog near the interchange of Zimnitsa on the A1 highway connecting Sofia and Burgas, according to transport-online.nl. A regional governor at the scene described the wreckage as indescribable, stating, “I have never seen anything like this.”
Drone footage reveals the horrifying scale of the tragedy on Bulgaria’s Trakia Motorway. Over 50 vehicles, including cars and trucks, were involved in the massive pile-up, leaving at least 12 people dead and dozens injured. One of Bulgaria’s deadliest road disasters. 😭 pic.twitter.com/NfyVJyGotH
Rescue and Medical Operations
Ten victims died at the scene while two others succumbed to their injuries later in various hospitals, Health Minister Katya Ivkova confirmed, according to transport-online.nl. Emergency services transported 46 to 50 wounded individuals to nearby medical facilities, with about ten people listed in severe condition, as reported by vrt.be and transport-online.nl.
Rescue teams had to remove sections of the highway’s guardrail to reach trapped victims amid the heavy fog, transport-online.nl noted. Military transport aircraft and helicopters stood ready to evacuate casualties to Burgas, while regional governor Georgi Chalakov declared a partial state of emergency for the municipalities of Straldzha, Tundzha, and Yambol.
Bulgaria, November 10, 2026 – Over 10 people died in a large-scale accident involving about 50 cars on the Trakia highway near the Bulgarian city of Yambol Source: Bulgarian News Agency – without sound pic.twitter.com/YigrMa0F97
Eyewitness Accounts
Drivers caught in the morning chain reaction described sudden zero-visibility conditions on the six-lane motorway. One motorist recounted traveling around 100 kilometers per hour before encountering rows of stationary vehicles.
“I braked hard, but couldn’t stop in time,” the driver told nos.nl. Another motorist described pulling a man from a burning car just as secondary collisions erupted across the opposing lanes.
Wet roads and low visibility caused the disaster
Regional road management director Galin Kostov pointed to wet road surfaces and speeds that exceeded safe limits for the severe weather conditions, according to transport-online.nl. Investigators noted that visibility dropped below 50 meters when a truck collided with a bus, triggering the dual-carriageway disaster.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who was visiting Bulgaria at the time, cut short her meeting with Rosen Radev to express condolences and praise emergency responders, nos.nl reported. Road authorities stated that the Trakia motorway will remain closed in both directions for an extended period to accommodate complex wreckage removal and ongoing police investigations.
Bulgaria, November 10, 2026 – 11 people died in a large-scale accident involving about 50 cars on the Trakia highway near the Bulgarian city of Yambol Source: Radio 999 BG/Facebook – without sound pic.twitter.com/wmBcAjjVBQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Which municipalities declared a partial emergency?
Regional governor Georgi Chalakov declared a partial state of emergency for Straldzha, Tundzha, and Yambol due to the immense scale of the highway disaster, transport-online.nl reported.
How many vehicles were involved in the collisions?
More than 70 vehicles, including numerous passenger cars, multiple trucks, and an autobus, collided across both directions of the A1 highway near Zimnitsa, according to transport-online.nl and vrt.be.
What caused visibility to drop so sharply on the motorway?
Very dense fog reduced visibility to less than 50 meters early in the morning, which contributed to the initial collision between a truck and a bus, nos.nl and transport-online.nl noted.
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