A tragic bus accident occurred on Thursday afternoon, December 23, 2024, involving a vehicle from the Norwegian bus company Boreal, which left the road and plunged partially off the E10 highway near Raftsundet, Hadsel municipality, located in the northern part of Norway. The incident has resulted in at least three confirmed fatalities and several serious injuries among the 58 passengers aboard, who hail from various nationalities.
The alarm was raised at precisely 14:02 local time as emergency services rushed to the scene amid terrible weather conditions. Eyewitness accounts report icy roads as likely contributors to the incident, though the exact cause remains under investigation.
According to Bent Are Eilertsen, the spokesperson for the Nordland police, "Three fatalities and four individuals have sustained serious injuries." He also noted, "Some passengers were rescued and taken to a nearby school for safety." Initial reports from the North Rescue Centre had estimated the number of passengers to be between 60 and 70, but the final tally accounted for 58 individuals on board.
The situation has drawn significant attention from Norwegian authorities, including Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, who expressed his condolences on social media. He stated, "My thoughts go to all the people involved and those touched. This is a very serious situation involving many people, and deaths and serious injuries have been confirmed from the incident," demonstrating the somber mood across the nation as they grapple with the fallout.
Rescue efforts were complicated by adverse weather conditions, which included heavy snowfall and strong winds. Jan Eskil Severinsen from the Norwegian Coordination Rescue Center reported to the public broadcasting service NRK, "Weather conditions at the site are terrible. Rescue helicopters have been sent from Bodø and Tromsø, along with other emergency services." Such mobilization indicates the urgency and seriousness with which these operations are being conducted.
The bus had been traveling from Narvik to the scenic Lofoten Islands when it went off course. Witnesses reported panic among passengers as the vehicle began to slide out of control before toppling down the embankment and partially submerging in the lake Åsvatnet, which lies close to Raftsundet. Distress calls from nearby motorists likely contributed to the rapid response of emergency services from across the northern region of Norway.
Five passengers among the injured have been confirmed as Chinese nationals, as reported by the Chinese embassy in Oslo, underscoring the diversity of those affected and the complications such incidents pose for people traveling abroad.
Efforts to monitor the situation extend beyond Norway. The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed it is keeping close tabs on developments after reports suggested potential Italian involvement among the passengers. The ministry has advised citizens traveling abroad to contact their crisis unit if assistance is required and provided information on how to stay safe abroad.
The incident poses poignant reminders of the risks associated with winter travel, particularly on the icy roads of Norway, where weather conditions can turn perilous. Authorities are likely to conduct thorough investigations to ascertain how this tragic accident occurred and to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
This is not merely another statistic of winter road incidents; it is a stark reality check for many who may frequently overlook the dangers associated with treacherous driving conditions. While the focus now shifts to rescue operations and tending to the injured, the community will have to come together to support one another as they heal from this horrific event.
Adverse weather conditions and the holiday season have heightened the risk factors for travelers, calling for increased caution and vigilance on the roads. These sentiments echo throughout Norway as citizens reflect on this tragic episode and the devastating impact it has on those directly involved and their families.
