UPDATE: 14:25
It is unclear what caused the bus accident; initial information suggests that the bus driver needed to swerve to avoid another vehicle, choosing to drive off the road, according to Magnus Nyberg, the leader of the Skellefteå Fire Department.
– It is up to the bus company to respond to what exactly caused the accident.
Between 20 to 25 people are reported to have been on board the bus. The bus should be recovered at any moment, says Nyberg
UPDATE: 13:55
The police are still at the scene of the accident.
– The latest information is that the police are assisting in the recovery of the vehicles," says Åsa Mjörndal, press spokesperson for the police region North.
It is still unclear if there is any suspicion of a crime in connection with the accident, as the police are still working at the scene. No report of a crime has been filed at this time.
– I have no information about any suspicion of a crime yet. It involves around 20 vehicles that have been involved in the accident, and there are many individuals who need to be interviewed," says Åsa Mjörndal.
UPDATE: 12:55
Ten of the cars were so severely damaged in the collision that they needed to be towed away from the scene, according to the rescue service.
– We had to cut apart a car where a person was trapped, says Magnus Nyberg, the leader of the emergency services on-site after the accident.
The rescue service assisted the ambulance in moving the injured to quickly transport them to the hospital.
UPDATE: 12:50
Six people have been taken to Skellefteå hospital after the pile-up on the E4 near Boviken, according to a press release from Region Västerbotten.
– They have been taken by ambulance for assessment, but I do not have any further information, says Molli Rosenström, communications officer for Region Västerbotten.
The assessment is that Skellefteå hospital will be able to treat the patients. However, the hospital has contacted Norrland University Hospital in Umeå just in case.
UPDATE: 11:45
– The latest report I've received is that almost all vehicles are gone from the northbound lane. But southbound, there is still a lot to handle, says the SOS operator to Norran.
Does it involve both southbound and northbound lanes?
– There are cars everywhere, so to speak. It's difficult to say. There are cars all over the road.
At least three people taken to hospital.
UPDATE: 11:30
The emergency services are struggling to handle the situation on site. Seven units have been alerted.
– The focus is on ensuring that those who need to be transported by ambulance to the hospital can be moved from the scene. They are also trying to reduce the risk of secondary accidents and are currently conducting a risk assessment, says Angelica Bergman, operator at the rescue service.
She mentions that slippery road conditions prevail at the scene.
UPDATE: 11:05
Kilometer-long queues have formed on the snow-covered highway after a major collision, leaving motorists stranded.
Norran reporter Petra Länsman, at the scene, reports frequent tow trucks and ambulances suggesting further incidents. Vehicles from the accident litter both lanes and shoulders, creating a chaotic scene.
Despite recent plowing, the road remains slippery, with passing tow trucks causing snow spray adding to the hazard. The situation remains tense as emergency responders work to clear the road.