Woman Dies and Four Injured in Kresna Gorge Minibus-Truck Collision

A fatal traffic accident occurred in the Kresna Gorge early Friday morning, leaving one woman dead and four others injured, the Ministry of Interior reported. The collision involved a minibus and a truck near the Kresna Inn, with the incident reported around 7 a.m.

Preliminary reports indicate that the minibus, traveling toward Kulata and exiting the Krivia Tunnel, entered the oncoming lane despite traffic cones and collided head-on with the truck heading toward Sofia, according to eyewitness accounts cited by BNR. The woman, a passenger of the minibus, died instantly, while four others were taken for medical evaluation. Initial information suggests all injured were conscious at the time of transportation.

The Road Infrastructure Agency announced that traffic is currently restricted at km 390 on the I-1 Blagoevgrad–Kresna road. Drivers are advised to exercise caution and follow alternative routes: II-19 Simitli–Gotse Delchev–III-198 Gotse Delchev–Marino Pole–Struma Motorway, with traffic regulated by the Traffic Police.

Just an hour later, another collision occurred on the Sofia–Varna road near the Lesidren junction in Lovech, involving a bus and a truck on a wet road surface. While the exact number of injured remains unclear, preliminary reports indicate no serious injuries.

These incidents follow a deadly crash near Lukovit on Thursday, where a 78-year-old man and a 72-year-old woman died in a head-on collision between a minibus and a passenger car. Over the past 24 hours, Bulgaria has recorded four fatalities and 40 injuries in road accidents, with 28 of those injuries classified as serious, according to the Ministry of Interior.

In the capital, Sofia, four serious and 49 minor traffic accidents have been registered, resulting in four injuries. Since the beginning of October, 38 road accidents have been recorded nationwide, causing four deaths and 53 injuries.

Year-to-date figures show 5,170 accidents across Bulgaria, resulting in 330 deaths and 6,471 injuries. Compared with the same period in 2024, fatalities have decreased by eight, the Ministry of Interior noted.