Setermoen: Serious accident between two military vehicles

The fire service is working to free two people after a serious traffic accident between a car and a lorry.

A lorry and a car have collided on the E6 north of Setermoen. Two people are trapped in the car and fire crews are working to free them.

– There are two military vehicles, operations manager Morten Augensen in the Troms police district told VG.

At 1:16 p.m., the police report that a Bell helicopter from the military and an ambulance helicopter have landed at the scene of the accident. The police on the scene consider it a serious accident.

At 1.50pm both are freed, but Augensen states that he does not know the extent of the damage.

He confirms that the people involved are Norwegian.

– Both were flown to the University Hospital in Tromsø and have landed there, he says to VG.

The people in the truck have been taken to the emergency department for a check-up.

The military exercise Joint Viking is currently taking place in the area. According to the Norwegian Armed Forces, the exercise brings together around 20,000 Norwegian and allied forces.

On Tuesday, Crown Prince Haakon visited several of the soldiers taking part.

Augensen currently does not know whether the vehicles were part of the exercise.

– We cannot say anything about the extent of the damage now, says Augensen.

Spokesperson Jonny Carlsen at the Norwegian Armed Forces’ operational headquarters confirms that there are two military vehicles involved in the accident.

– Is it in connection with the Joint Viking exercise?

– Most of this is about Joint Viking, he says and he refers to the police for further questions.