Hemus Motorway Reopened to Traffic Following a Fatal Crash That Killed Three, Including a Child

Traffic has resumed on the Hemus Motorway following a serious crash that claimed the lives of three people. Among the victims was an 11-year-old child, who died on the way to hospital. Another child, aged seven, remains in intensive care in a life-threatening condition.

The collision occurred on a section of the motorway operating with two-way traffic because of roadworks on the carriageway between Varna and Shumen.

A van and a passenger car collided head-on. The crash happened around midday on the stretch between Shumen and Novi Pazar. Due to the ongoing repairs, traffic in both directions had been diverted onto a single lane.

Chief Inspector Veselin Georgiev of the Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Interior - Shumen:

“A car with Shumen registration was travelling from Varna towards Shumen within the area covered by the temporary traffic management scheme. For reasons that have not yet been established, it entered the lane for oncoming traffic and collided with a goods vehicle.”

Five people, including two children, were travelling in the passenger car. Only the driver was in the cargo van.

A 67-year-old man and a 48-year-old woman died at the scene. The two children in the car were aged 7 and 11. The 11-year-old child died while being transported to hospital.

The 51-year-old van driver and a 24-year-old man travelling in the car were taken to hospital with injuries that are not considered life-threatening.

Dr Dimitar Kostov, Executive Director of the hospital in Shumen:

“A seven-year-old child and two men aged 54 and 21 were admitted. The seven-year-old is in an extremely critical condition. The child has been intubated, placed on mechanical ventilation and is currently undergoing surgery.”

The 13-kilometre section of the motorway has been undergoing repairs since May, requiring a temporary traffic management scheme. The road is signposted and subject to a 60 km/h speed limit.