Drone footage from Bulgaria's Trakia Motorway shows the full, shocking scale of one of the country's deadliest road disasters. Around 7 a.m. on Tuesday, November 10, two chain-reaction crashes on opposite carriageways near the Zimnitsa interchange swallowed dozens of cars and trucks. Officials say as many as 86 vehicles were involved, and the images show smashed, overturned and burnt-out wrecks piled across the highway that links Sofia with the Black Sea port of Burgas. At least 12 people were killed and around 50 were injured, with several fighting for their lives in hospital. Prime Minister Rumen Radev declared Wednesday, November 11, a national day of mourning.

Authorities believe dense fog was the main trigger, cutting visibility to roughly 70 to 80 meters on wet roads while many drivers were still moving at speeds that were not safe for those conditions. Rescue teams, ambulances and military aircraft were sent in, and the motorway was shut in both directions while crews worked at the scene. The injured were taken to hospitals in Sliven, Yambol and Burgas, and the death toll has shifted through the day as official figures were updated. Bulgaria's roads are already ranked among the most dangerous in the European Union, and the disaster has led political parties to demand a full and transparent investigation. Many people are now asking whether warnings, speed controls or road safety measures could have prevented such a catastrophe.