Minibus veers off road in Ylitornio, resulting in injuries for three individuals

A minibus veered off the road and into a ditch, colliding with a tree at the intersection of Raanujärventie and Rovaniementie in Ylitornio on Tuesday evening. At the time of the incident, there were eight individuals in the vehicle, all of whom received medical evaluations from emergency services. Three needed to be transported for further treatment.

Emergency response involved three units from the ambulance service and a rescue helicopter, though the helicopter ultimately wasn’t required to transport any of the injured. In addition to medical personnel, police and a rescue crew were on-site to clear debris and manage traffic around the accident area.

The icy roads of Lapland have made headlines recently. However, according to the acting fire chief Pekka Siivola from the Lapland rescue service, conditions were normal for the freezing weather at the time of the accident. Overall, the night was quiet for the emergency services, but the onset of the winter tourism season is evident in their workload.

Siivola noted that tourists are increasingly keeping the rescue teams busy, primarily due to off-road traffic incidents, such as vehicles leaving the roadway. However, he did not specify whether those involved in the Ylitornio accident were tourists or locals.