Bulgarian investigators: The Romanian truck was an obstacle, not the cause of the chain-reaction accident on the Trakia Motorway

The truck registered in Romania did not cause the pileup on Bulgaria’s Trakia motorway, which resulted in 12 deaths and approximately 50 injuries, but rather represented an obstacle on the roadway, according to the latest investigation findings. The clarification was made by Marian Marinov, acting director of Bulgaria’s National Investigation Service.

The 62-year-old Romanian driver was released on Wednesday evening after the second round of questioning before prosecutors. The investigation must determine whether he bears any responsibility, depending on the conditions under which the truck was stopped or was traveling at reduced speed.

Investigators are considering two hypotheses: the truck may have been forced to stop because of another disabled vehicle, or the driver may have slowed sharply because of dense fog. The bus approaching from behind may not have had time to react. Prosecutors are also checking compliance with the required distance between vehicles.

Bulgarian authorities maintain that the extremely limited visibility and speed may have contributed decisively to the tragedy, while the condition of the asphalt does not appear to have played a determining role.