Article:
A tragic bus accident on Boxing Day claimed the lives of three people, leaving the local community in mourning and raising questions about the response by Boreal, the company responsible for the bus service. In Vågan municipality, a joint psychosocial crisis team has sharply criticized Boreal’s handling of the situation, arguing that the company has failed to fulfill its responsibilities.
The team, led by Vågan Kommune’s operational leader and commune psychologist Lene Sommerseth Hansen, has sent a critical letter to Boreal’s upper management outlining several areas of concern, including a lack of leadership, insufficient support for those affected, and no support whatsoever for the driver involved.
"Our representative on the scene has tried to assist as best as possible, and has been in ongoing dialogue with the highest leadership in Boreal Buss for clarification and answers. However, we have to admit that we could have done better in coordinating our efforts with Vågan Kommunes crisis team," said John Kristian Fadnes, communication manager at Boreal.
Vågan crisis team has also expressed concerns about the lack of information provided by Boreal, with those injured in the accident complaining they received little information from the company.
Boreal, which provides bus services on behalf of a regional government, has faced criticism for not having a clear plan for handling major incidents. The company’s communication manager acknowledged that they would be reviewing their response strategies in light of the criticism.
The accident occurred when a bus carrying around 58 passengers left the road near Hanøy. It is one of the most serious traffic accidents Vågan and Hadsel municipalities have witnessed. The cause of the accident is still under investigation.
