Bus with 24 Singaporeans plunges into Norway Lake on Northern Lights tour: 'I was in shock'
Kolette Lim
The Straits Times
January 21, 2025
A recent trip to Norway to see the Northern Lights turned awry for Mr Ng and his wife after their tour bus veered off the road and ended up partially submerged in a lake.
Carrying 24 Singaporeans, the bus had been en route to popular winter destination Lofoten on Jan 12 - the fifth day of a 10-day tour with EU Holidays - when the accident happened.
"When the driver was (rounding) a bend, the bus skidded and lost control, and flipped on its right," said Mr Ng, 56, a technical manager who wanted to be known only by his surname.
"Things happened very fast, in the blink of an eye. I was in shock."
Six Singaporeans were taken to the nearest hospital following the accident, which occurred at about 10.30am local time (5.30pm Singapore time), said EU Holidays director Ong Hanjie.
When Mr Ng regained his bearings after the crash, he found himself suspended by his seat belt.
"The bus had slipped into the lake and the glass panels on the right were shattered," he recalled.
The couple, who were sitting on the left side of the bus, then crawled towards the back of the vehicle.
The rear windscreen was broken, and so they exited through it.
"It was raining heavily, and the winds were strong," said Mr Ng, who had left the bus without his jacket. "I could feel the force of the wind swaying me and I could not walk straight."
After wading through knee-deep snow, the couple found refuge in another tour bus that had stopped near the scene, and emergency vehicles arrived within 30 minutes, according to Mr Ng.
Six Singaporeans were taken to the nearest hospital following the accident. PHOTO: COURTESY OF MR NG
The passengers were taken to an emergency centre at a nearby town, and six of them were subsequently transferred to the hospital.
Mr Ng said he and his wife escaped with shoulder aches and did not need to be taken to the hospital.
All 24 passengers returned to Singapore on Jan 17, as per the tour itinerary, according to Mr Ong.
Mr Ng said he is still recovering mentally from the accident, and is not going to travel again until he gets over it.
Another couple, who wanted to be known only as Mr and Mrs Tan, both 49, were also on that tour bus, and are still processing the accident.
Mr Tan suffered a neck fracture and head laceration and had to be taken to the hospital in Norway. He continues to receive medical treatment in Singapore.
Mrs Tan sustained bruises on her leg.
Their daughter, a 24-year-old student who wanted to be known only as Ms Tan, said the "stressful and chaotic" incident left her parents deeply traumatised. "I'm just glad they are safe and back in Singapore," she said.
EU Holidays has provided a 60 per cent refund to the 24 Singaporeans affected, said Mr Ong.
He added that following the accident, the group travelled by cruise or domestic flights on some occasions for the remainder of the tour, instead of by bus.
"This was an unexpected and unfortunate incident, and we deeply regret that it occurred," he said, adding that the agency will continue to help the tourists with their insurance claims.
He added that there are no immediate plans to make any changes to the tour itinerary for other groups, because the route used by the bus is unavoidable for the tour.
"The driver was operating the coach at... between 30kmh and 40kmh, and the coach was fully equipped for the conditions, including (with) snow tyres.
"Passengers were also reminded to keep their seat belts fastened at all times."
In response to queries, Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it has provided consular assistance and support to the affected Singaporeans.
On Dec 26, passengers from Singapore were injured in a deadly bus crash in Norway, which resulted in three deaths after the vehicle went off the road.
