Prime Minister Rumen Radev said 12 people had been killed after dozens of cars and lorries were involved in two pile-ups on the Trakia motorway in south-eastern Bulgaria. [E1]
Health Minister Katya Ivkova said 11 people died at the scene near Zimnitsa and another later died in hospital. About 50 others were taken to hospital with injuries. [E2] [E3]
Officials said dense fog reduced visibility and was the likely cause of the first crash on the eastbound carriageway. [E4]
Radev declared Wednesday a day of national mourning following the incident. [E5]
Bulgaria’s state news agency BTA reported a death toll one lower and said 51 people were hospitalised after two pile-ups involving 86 vehicles near the Zimnitsa junction in Yambol Region. It said the Interior Ministry counted 63 vehicles on the Burgas-bound carriageway and 23 on the Sofia-bound carriageway. [E6] [E7]
BTA also quoted Ivkova as saying 10 people died at the scene and one in hospital. It said the Council of Ministers declared 11 November a day of national mourning for the victims. [E8] [E9]