Norway bus crash: 3 dead, 4 critically injured in icy plunge
At least three people have died, and four have been seriously injured in a bus accident in northwestern Norway. The bus, carrying approximately 58 passengers, veered off the road and slid down a slope into Lake Asvatnet.
The accident occurred on the E10 road about 124 miles west of Narvik. The regular bus suddenly swerved off the road, crashed through barriers, and slid down the slope into the lake.
Part of the bus ended up underwater. Rescuers quickly arrived at the scene but had difficulty reaching the people inside.
At least three people have died
Reports confirm at least three fatalities. Four people have been severely injured, according to the latest reports, with three of them airlifted to the hospital by helicopter.
The remaining rescued passengers were transported to a nearby school, where they were offered temporary shelter.
According to Norwegian media reports, the vehicle that went off the road was a regular bus traveling from Narvik to the Lofoten archipelago. Bent Are Eilertsen, the local police chief, told Norwegian media that the bus was carrying citizens of eight countries.
According to police, there were 20 Chinese citizens on board the bus. The accident also involved Singapore, India, Malaysia, the Netherlands, South Sudan, France, and Norway passengers.
The police are appealing to those on the bus or anyone who may know who was on it to report this information. Since it was a regular bus route, there is no passenger list, so there may have been more than 58 passengers.
The bus remains partially in the water. Emergency services will only attempt to retrieve it at night, provided the weather does not interfere. A strong storm is passing over northern Norway. In the next 12 hours, up to 20 inches of snow may fall in the region where the accident occurred. Meteorological services have warned for winds reaching up to 62 mph in gusts.
Rescue services and police are still on the scene, trying to determine the cause of the accident. At the time of the disaster, a snowstorm limited visibility, the road was covered in ice, and wind gusts reached up to 62 mph.
Source: dagbladet.no, nrk.no, PAP
