[Lofotposten] On Saturday morning, the emergency services went to Voie on Vestvågøy after reports of an accident involving a bus with tourists that had skidded off the road and rolled over on its side. There are a total of 38 people on board the bus, the police say.
The bus was Lithuanian and the tourists from Italian, the police report.
– A charter bus on its way to Hauklandstranda has skidded off the road and rolled over on its side. There are 36 elderly tourists on board the bus, in addition to the driver and tour guide. The emergency services are on their way to the scene. It is unclear whether there are any injuries, the police in Nordland said immediately after the accident occurred.
Shortly afterwards, the police report that several people are trapped in the bus. Ambulance personnel provided first aid at the scene.
Lofotposten’s journalist is on the scene and says that a rescue helicopter is on its way. There is slush on the site and challenging driving conditions.
The main rescue center informs NRK that two ambulance helicopters have also been sent. To VG, the main rescue center says that the helicopter from Tromsø has been called back, as the scope of the incident is smaller than first thought.
The police say there is bad weather in the area. On Twitter, they write that they have a bus on the way to the site to transport uninjured and searchers injured away from the site. They will be transported to the town hall in Leknes.
Seven people are taken to the hospital in Gravdal by ambulance.
Communications adviser at Nordlandssykehuset Helene Åsli informs Dagbladet that no life-threatening injuries have been reported.
– 29 people have been transported into a tourist bus. Presis vegdrift states that an accident team is coming from Finnsnes. There are police from both Leknes and Svolvær at the scene, and the Voieveien towards Haukland is closed, says Lofotposten’s journalist at the scene.
The mayor of Vestvågøy municipality, Anne Sand, informs VG that the municipality has set up a crisis team, and that the incident is being followed up from there.
The fire service informs VG that all the personnel they have at Leknes have been dispatched. They state that there are difficult driving conditions at the site.
The police have started an investigation into the case.
