Overall mayor on the helicopter crash: – A tragedy

Two people died when a helicopter crashed outside Verdal on Tuesday morning.

The two – Roar Henning Stein (68) and Inger Eline Gaundal Stein (68) – were residents of Overhalla municipality. They were passengers in the helicopter.

– When such incidents occur, it is always a tragedy. Two housing estates have been suddenly torn away from us, says mayor Hege Kvernø Saugen (Sp) to Dagbladet.

She states that the municipality will in future prioritize looking after the relatives of the deceased, and that they have set up a crisis team to work on this.

– The crisis team is in dialogue with them and does what they can to help them in the situation they are in now. It is a very sad accident that has taken place, so first of all we will concentrate on helping the next of kin and those left behind, says the mayor.

– Embossed

Storting representative Per Olav Tyldum (Sp), who was mayor of Overhalla until 2021, is also affected by the incident.

– I know that it makes an impression on me, because Overhalla is a relatively small municipality where everyone knows everyone, says Tyldum.

He continues:

– It is special that it should happen on a day like this, when we have had the Minister of Justice visit Verdal. We were informed about the helicopter accident while we were sitting in a meeting with the head of the police service. Both the Minister of Justice and I are affected by what has happened, regardless of where the victims came from.

Minister for Justice and Emergency Emilie Enger Mehl (Sp) has said that she visited the police station in Verdal when the accident happened.

In front of Trønder-Avisa, she referred to the accident as a tragic event, and said that her thoughts go out to those affected, relatives and colleagues.

That everyone knows everyone in Overalla is also confirmed by vicar Anders Mikkel Hammer. He says that the municipality’s residents are good at looking after each other.

– The family is in shock. For the first time now, everyone has to wait a bit and let time pass, says Hammer.

Unknown cause

The accident was reported at 10.42am. The helicopter crashed on a field 150 meters from the nearest road. There was thick fog in the area when the accident happened.

There were three people in the helicopter. The third has been taken care of at St. Olav’s hospital in Trondheim.

The police cannot yet say anything about the cause of the accident. Both the National Accident Investigation Board and the police’s technical department are working on the scene to find the cause of the accident.

– We are now gathering as much information as possible. There is a good deal of investigation to be done going forward, said Snorre Haugdahl in the police at a press conference on Tuesday afternoon.

The police are asking witnesses who may have seen or heard something before the accident, taken pictures or have information to get in touch.