An accident occurred on Thursday on the northern Norwegian coast in Hadsel, where a bus ended up in a lake, killing three people and injuring four others. Among the 58 passengers on board, many nationalities are represented, Nordland County police announced. “Many passengers on the bus are foreign nationals,” said Bent Are Eilertsen, county police officer, in a statement relayed by the NTB agency.
The lack of an exhaustive list of passengers makes it difficult to identify victims and communicate with their relatives. The bus, half submerged, was carrying people from at least eight countries. Alerted shortly after 1:30 p.m., the police quickly intervened at the site of the accident, near the Raftsundet Strait, between the Lofoten and Vesterålen archipelagos. All passengers were evacuated, with some being directed to a nearby school.
Difficult weather conditions
Bad weather conditions, marked by strong gusts and storm warnings, complicated rescue operations. “Weather conditions in the area are poor, complicating rescue operations,” police confirmed.
A humanitarian boat from the Redningsselskapet organization, carrying caregivers, was unable to reach the site due to bad weather. Three injured people were transported by helicopter to Stokmarknes hospital.
An open investigation to determine the causes
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre expressed solidarity with the victims and their families. “I think everyone in Norway is affected by the news coming from Hadsel. This is a very serious accident and many people are involved. The first thing to do is to support them,” he said. An investigation will be opened to determine the causes of the accident. According to the authorities, the priority for the moment remains ensuring the care of the injured.
This accident occurs at a time when tourism is increasing sharply in Norway. In 2023, the number of overnight stays by foreigners increased by 22% thanks to the end of health restrictions and the fall in Scandinavian currencies. The country attracts many visitors each year, seduced by its fjords, its northern lights and its midnight sun.
Source: www.20minutes.fr
