Serious bus accident in Norway

At least three people were killed in a bus accident that occurred in northern Norway. The bus with 58 people onboard left the road, and fell into a nearby lake. The bus was apparently mainly carrying tourists. The vehicle, which was blown by strong winds and heavy snowfall near Hadsel, left the European Route 10 and fell into a pond near Raft Sound. This is between the Lofoten islands and the Norwegian mainland. According to police, three people died.

Eleven people were treated in the hospital but none are in a life threatening condition. “The bus is partially submerged,” the newspaper Verdens Gang (VG) quotes rescue manager Örjan Delbekk as saying. Conditions on the scene were difficult. The fire department is on the scene, as are rescue workers and police.

The hospital in Nordland declared an emergency and opened a care center to help relatives. Norwegian media reported that some passengers were housed in a school nearby, while others were taken into a hotel.

58 people may be affected

According to reports, up to 58 passengers were on board the bus traveling between Narvik and Lofoten. It is unknown how many people were on the bus when the accident occurred.

A police spokesperson said that the authorities had difficulty contacting the families of the victims due to the absence of a complete passenger list. According to the police the passengers were from China, Singapore India, Malaysia, The Netherlands, France, South Sudan, and Norway.

According to VG the Chinese embassy in Oslo confirmed that 20 Chinese citizens were on the bus. The Lofoten archipelago is a popular destination for observing the Northern Lights, and Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Störe spoke of a “very serious situation” and expressed his condolences to those affected. He thanked police, rescue services, and hospital staff for all their efforts.