Three killed, several hurt in Norway tour bus crash; Dutch citizens among 58 passengers
Dutch citizens are among the 58 passengers who were riding on a bus in Norway that flew off a road, overturned, and wound up partially submerged in the small lake, Åsvatnet. Official reports from the police said the accident left three people dead and four others seriously injured, and media reports state at least seven additional people were brought to an area hospital. Investigators were still working to identify the deceased on Friday morning, police told Norwegian news service NTB.
The accident happened at around 1:30 p.m. on Thursday in Hadsel, in the province of Nordland. Witnesses in the area raced to the site where the bus careened down a slope, and tried to help by smashing windows to rescue those inside, an eyewitness told reporters.
Firefighters, paramedics and police officers responded, but their efforts were complicated by the weather, the Nordland Police District said. “The weather in the area is bad, with strong winds, snow and icy roads.”
Police confirmed passengers were from at least eight different countries. Norwegian media outlets TV2 and NRK reported that the citizens on the bus included people from Singapore, China, India, Malaysia, South Sudan, France, Norway, and the Netherlands.
The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs told ANP and AD on Thursday they were working to confirm if any Dutch people were onboard the bus, and whether any Dutch citizens were among the dead and injured. The ministry is in contact with the Norwegian authorities via the Dutch embassy in Oslo.
The Hadsel municipality asked all available family doctors to provide assistance, while drawing in any available resource to shelter those affected. “We are working closely with Vågan and the police. The most important thing now is that those affected are taken care of,” said Deputy Mayor Renathe Eriksen. Red Cross volunteers were also activated.
“Our thoughts go out to the family and relatives,” said Hadsel Mayor Kjell-Børge Freiberg. Mental health services were brought in to help survivors, witnesses and victims’ family members. They were being stationed at the Hotel Richard With in Stokmarknes, where those affected by the incident were being received.
