Coach ferrying S'pore tour group & van collide in Finland, 2 dead

A tour bus carrying 29 members from a Chan Brothers Travel tour group collided with a van in the northern Finnish city of Rovaniemi at around 1pm on Dec. 19 (Finland time).

As a result, 31 individuals from the coach and six individuals from the van were conveyed to the hospital, reported Lianhe Zaobao, citing Finnish media.

Around seven hours later, Finnish police confirmed that the van driver, along with a van passenger, died having succumbed to their injuries.

Most of the people involved in the collision were from Singapore and China, and the authorities had contacted the respective embassies, added Finnish police.

According to photos showing the aftermath of the incident, the front of the coach was severely damaged, with its windshield sustaining multiple cracks.

The van was deformed, and the road where the collision took place could be seen covered in snow.

Chan Brothers statement

In response to Mothership's queries, Chan Brothers Travel said its tour group left on Dec. 11 for a 13-day, 10-night trip in Finland and Norway.

Its itinerary involved seeing the northern lights in Lapland, the northmost region in Finland, and the Lofoten Islands in Norway.

According to the company, the collision took place after the van, which was travelling in the opposite direction, attempted to overtake another vehicle.

Upon learning about the incident, its local representative "responded immediately" and arrived at the scene, which was about 30 minutes away from Santa Claus Village, said Chan Brothers.

All discharged from hospital

According to Chan Brothers, all of its tour members were transported to the hospital for precautionary check-ups.

Concurrently, three additional tour managers in Rovaniemi were dispatched to the hospital to assist its tour members with check-in procedures and "provide them with refreshments, care, and support".

The company said some of the members sustained minor injuries, but all were "discharged without requiring hospitalisation".

A member of the tour group told Zaobao that his friend was injured in the collision and received stitches for the wound.

"The tour itinerary currently continues as planned with the final two nights in Rovaniemi," said Chan Brothers.

The company did not comment on how many members were injured and whether those wounded were Singaporeans.

Importance of wearing seatbelt

According to Chan Brothers, the incident "underscores the critical importance of seatbelt use in mitigating injuries during accidents".

The company also expressed its gratitude to the coach driver for his "skilful handling of the situation", which "helped to lessen the impact of the collision".

It also commended its tour manager for "constantly reminding tour members to buckle up".

"We strongly urge all travellers to have comprehensive travel insurance coverage when travelling overseas," added Chan Brothers.

Top image via MTV Finland