A passenger bus veered off the road and overturned on the E45 highway between Storuman and Vilhelmina in northern Sweden. Emergency services received the initial alert at 8:44 AM from the Lilla Stenmyran area in Vilhelmina Municipality.
The bus carried 57 people according to the passenger manifest. Rescue teams worked for hours to free one trapped individual. All passengers were successfully extracted from the vehicle by 10:45 AM.
Police confirmed ten people required hospital transport with unknown injury severity. One of these patients was the initially trapped individual. Approximately ten additional passengers sustained minor injuries treated at a nearby medical clinic.
Emergency response scaled up significantly throughout the morning. Eleven rescue units deployed to the scene along with a medical helicopter. The highway remained completely closed during rescue operations.
Regional healthcare systems activated emergency protocols. Lycksele Hospital entered disaster mode while Norrlands University Hospital in Umeå enhanced readiness levels. Region Västerbotten mobilized additional medical resources to handle incoming patients.
Rescue services initially estimated three hours for complete operation clearance. Crews lifted the bus to verify no one remained trapped beneath it. Police have seized the vehicle for technical investigation into the accident cause.
Early reports suggested possible car involvement but authorities confirmed this as a single-vehicle incident. Initial passenger counts of approximately 65 were later corrected to 57 based on official manifests.
Sweden's extensive highway network sees regular long-distance bus travel, particularly in northern regions where alternatives are limited. This incident highlights the challenges of remote highway emergencies where medical facilities can be hours away.
Bus safety remains generally high in Sweden, but northern route conditions present unique challenges with varying weather and long distances between service points. The full investigation will examine vehicle condition, driver factors, and road circumstances.
International travelers should note that while Swedish transport maintains excellent safety records, remote highway travel requires additional preparedness. Emergency response times can be longer in northern regions, though this case demonstrated rapid multi-agency coordination.