On the morning of November 10, a series of interrelated road accidents occurred on a motorway in southeastern Bulgaria, near the city of Yambol, amidst heavy fog. According to preliminary data, approximately 50 cars and trucks were involved in the crashes, local authorities reported. Published footage shows overturned, mangled, and completely burnt-out vehicles.
Sequence of events and road conditions
The accidents took place on the highway connecting the capital, Sofia, to the coastal city of Burgas. According to the governor of Yambol Province, Georgi Chalakov, as reported by the state news agency BTA, about 50 vehicles were involved in the chain-reaction collisions. Thick fog, as noted by witnesses and emergency services, severely limited visibility and was one of the key factors in the mass pile-up.
Victims and casualties
Based on current statements, 11 people have died as a result of the accidents, and another 48 have sustained injuries of varying severity, announced Prime Minister Rumen Radev. The injured are being transported to hospitals in nearby cities; two aircraft equipped with stretchers and staffed by medical teams have been deployed to the scene.
Government response
Rumen Radev, who was meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who was visiting Bulgaria that day, cancelled his scheduled official events for the second half of Tuesday to coordinate the disaster relief efforts. Emergency services are continuing to verify the number of casualties and the circumstances surrounding each collision.
Context: road safety in the EU
Bulgarian roads are traditionally considered among the most dangerous in the European Union. According to the European Commission, in 2025, the country recorded 71 road fatalities per million inhabitants — the highest rate among EU member states. Victims and relatives of the deceased blame the high mortality rates on the Balkan country's roads on reckless driver behavior, poor road surface conditions, and an ineffective judicial system.
