The tunnel tragedy – one still critically injured

The police were notified of a serious traffic accident in the Steigen tunnel in Steigen municipality in Nordland at 4 pm on Sunday afternoon.

Sources for TV 2 say that there were a total of ten people in the tour group from the Czech Republic, where at least five people are said to have been involved in the accident and on board the car that was driving.

Four died as a result of the injuries and one person is seriously injured in hospital.

Lifesaving first aid was performed on the spot, but life was not saved for four of those involved:

– Four have been confirmed dead by health personnel on site. All four dead were in the car, said operations manager Tommy Bech in Nordland police district.

Two more people were transported to Nordland Hospital with unknown extent of damage on Sunday.

Head of communications at Norsland Hospital, Randi Angelsen, informed TV 2 on Monday morning that a person is described as critically injured and will be transferred to St. Olav’s hospital for further treatment.

The other person involved is now described as slightly injured, Angelsen states.

It was a tractor with a trailer that was hit from behind by a foreign registered car, approximately in the middle of the tunnel. Both the vehicles involved drove in the direction of E6, the police stated on Sunday.

– Impresses the atmosphere for all of us

The Steigen tunnel is located in both Steigen and Hamarøy municipalities. The latter put its psychosocial crisis staff on standby.

– This is a serious traffic accident we have been notified of, said mayor Britt Kristoffersen (Sp) in Hamarøy municipality to TV 2 on Sunday.

– Such an incident in traffic characterizes the mood for all of us, and it is clear that until more information comes out, many are waiting for more information about the incident.