Romanian truck driver released following deadly collision on Bulgaria's Trakia highway

Bulgarian authorities have decided to release the Romanian truck driver detained after a massive multi-vehicle collision on the Trakia highway, which resulted in up to 12 deaths and dozens of injuries. Prosecutors interviewed 44 witnesses to reconstruct the sequence of events during conditions of severe fog.

Investigators focused on whether the Romanian-registered heavy vehicle had slowed abruptly or operated at an unusually low speed on the high-speed road, triggering the chain reaction behind it. Local media reports and officials cited minor discrepancies in casualties, recording between 11 and 12 fatalities alongside 50 to 70 injuries, including a second Romanian national who remains in critical condition. Emergency crews worked continuously overnight to remove wreckage and clear the route during a national day of mourning.

Sources: Digi24, HotNews, Moldova1, TV8, Ziarul de Gardă