2 killed, dozens injured in bus-van crash in Rovaniemi

Two people were killed and dozen injured in a road accident at Sinettä in Rovaniemi, a municipality under Lapland region on Thursday afternoon, police said.

The accident took place at about 1:00 p.m. when a bus carrying foreign tourists collided with a van on Pellontie road in the locality.

Two people died on the spot while 38 were injured in the accident.

Some of the injured people were taken to Lapland Central Hospital.

The police, however, did not divulge the identities of the deceased.

Police and the Accident Investigation Board are investigating into the accident to find out the reason behind the accident.

A spokesperson for the Lapland Rescue Service confirmed the involvement of foreign nationals but did not disclose their specific nationalities, reported Xinhua. The bus driver was identified as Finnish.

The collision, reportedly partially head-on, occurred under poor visibility caused by blowing snow, the spokesperson added.

Rovaniemi, located near the Arctic Circle, is a popular tourist destination in northern Finnish Lapland.