Death toll from Trakia motorway chain collision rises to 13 people

The death toll from the multi-vehicle chain collision on the Trakia motorway has risen to 13 people. The fatalities include a 42-year-old man from Elhovo who died at the Devamariya Hospital in Burgas after remaining in critical condition for several days. This incident is described as one of the most horrific chain accidents in Bulgarian history.

Details of the collision

The collision occurred in the early morning of November 10, 2026, near the Zimnitsa road junction near Yambol. The initial accident involved 63 vehicles, including trucks, buses, and cars, traveling in the direction of Burgas. Dense fog was the cause of the first collision. A second collision occurred seconds later in the direction of Sofia because drivers were distracted by the first incident.

On November 10, 11 people died at the scene in the direction of Sofia. A 50-year-old man died in a hospital in Sliven two days after the initial accident. According to Banker, the specific breakdown of injured patients by hospital included 33 in Sliven, 11 in Yambol, and 7 in Burgas.

Ongoing investigation efforts

The investigation involves 81 automotive technical expertises and approximately 50 forensic medical expertises. Authorities are analyzing the behavior of every individual driver to determine if they are victims or perpetrators. Marian Marinov, the Acting Director of the National Investigation Service, said the investigation is unprecedented in Bulgaria.

Lead Investigator Yasen Todorov stated that the investigation may conclude with or without defendants depending on whether evidence of criminal transport offenses is found. The scale of the forensic and technical analysis reflects the complexity of the multi-vehicle incident.

Impact and scale of incident

The massive scale of the accident has prompted significant legal and medical scrutiny. The collision involved a vast number of vehicles and resulted in a high number of fatalities and injuries across multiple regions. The investigation remains focused on the specific circumstances that led to the secondary collision following the initial fog-related accident.

The investigation continues as experts process the technical and medical data gathered from the scene and the various hospitals involved in treating the survivors.

Glossary

• Trakia motorway — The Trakia motorway, also known as the Thrace motorway and designated A1, is a motorway in Bulgaria. It connects the capital city of Sofia with the cities of Plovdiv and Burgas on the Black Sea coast.
• Elhovo — Elhovo is a town in Bulgaria. It was historically a Greek-inhabited place located in the Strandzha and Sakar mountains.
• Burgas — Burgas is a city in Bulgaria that hosts one of the country's four international airports. It is also home to the Port of Burgas, one of the two largest ports in the country.
• Yambol — Yambol is a Bulgarian province. It is one of the provinces whose ethnic composition is part of the territory of Eastern Rumelia according to the 2001 census.