Trakia Motorway Re-Opened to Traffic in Both Directions

The latest information this morning is that the stretch of motorway where the fatal crashes occurred has now been cleared. An important warning for all drivers is that dense fog is still present in the area this morning. Please drive with extra caution.

The road clearance operation began at around 5.30pm yesterday. Dozens of heavy recovery vehicles and car transporters were sent to the scene. Investigators continued their on-site inspections late into the night.

• Cleanup of the Trakia Motorway has begun: Nearly 100 specialized vehicles and volunteers have been deployed

The scale of the crash is unprecedented. More than 80 vehicles were involved in the pile-ups. The National Investigation Service has taken over the case. Investigators and forensic specialists were deployed to the scene. Witness interviews are ongoing, and a further examination of the crash site is expected to take place today.

Several key questions are being investigated. First and foremost, what was the exact sequence of collisions? The leading theory so far is that dense fog caused visibility to drop sharply, from 60–70 metres to just 10 metres. Investigators must also establish whether drivers were keeping a safe distance and how fast they were travelling. Footage from the Road Infrastructure Agency's cameras is due to be examined. A vehicle technical examination will also be carried out to establish the precise mechanics of the crash.

• The investigation will determine the causes of the accidents on Trakia Motorway, said Prime Minister Rumen Radev

It should be recalled that Prime Minister Rumen Radev and Interior Minister Dimitar Demerdzhiev visited the scene yesterday. They raised concerns about road safety across the country and shortcomings that could potentially have been prevented.

The Prime Minister announced that work was under way to establish a new, unified information centre to enable the rapid exchange of data and information between institutions. The Interior Minister also highlighted another problem: the Road Infrastructure Agency's cameras are not connected to the Interior Ministry's system.