Five people lost their lives in two separate traffic accidents in southeastern Bulgaria, with the most serious incident occurring on the Trakia highway near Yambol. Authorities said a truck traveling toward Sofia suffered a tire blowout shortly before 1:00 p.m., causing the driver to lose control. The vehicle crossed the median barrier and entered the opposite carriageway, where it collided with a passenger car heading toward Burgas.
Three people in the car were killed instantly, including two children and an elderly man, according to preliminary information. Several others were injured, among them a 46-year-old man and a woman whose identity had not yet been confirmed. One of the injured was reported to be in critical condition. Emergency crews, police officers, and investigators were dispatched to the scene, while traffic on the Trakia Motorway near kilometer 290 was suspended in both directions and diverted along alternative routes.
A second fatal crash occurred on the Aytos-Karnobat road between the villages of Klikach and Chukarka, where a passenger vehicle with Sliven registration left the roadway and struck a tree. Two women died at the scene. The accident happened on a route being used by some drivers following the closure of the highway.
