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Police investigation continues into fatal Raseborg crash

Police say they are looking through video and photographic evidence related to Thursday's fatal crash in Raseborg, but have no plans to interview surviving conscripts on Friday. Three soldiers and a train passenger died after the train slammed into a personnel carrier at a level crossing.

Raasepori tasoristeys.
Investigators inspect the track at the scene of a fatal accident in Raseborg. Image: Läni-Uudenmaan pelastuslaitos / Poliisilaitos
  • Yle News

Police have no plans to interview conscripts on Friday about a crash at a level crossing in south-west Finland that killed four people. Investigators suspect the driver of negligence on the approach to the crossing, but have not yet decided which offences may have been committed.

Helsinki and Uusimaa hospital district said on Friday that those injured in the accident were in a stable condition.

Investigator Ilkka Kantola said that the train driver has been interviewed.

"The train driver was surprised when a vehicle approached the crossing slowly, even though he had tooted his horn at the same time as he himself began to brake," said Kantola.

Difficult conditions

"The train, which runs on a diesel motor, began to slow down, but it doesn't lose speed quickly when the rails are wet, it's a big mass and the stopping distance is hundreds of metres."

raseborg accident

Kantola said that the angle of the crossing, combined with heavy snow and drastically reduced visibility, made the situation particularly dangerous.

On Thursday the military announced the names of the deceased conscripts. They are Henrik Holmbäck from Kokkola, Ossian Jaakkola from Vantaa and Kristoffer Lindfors from Pedersöre.

Political leaders paid their respects on Thursday, with Defence Minister Jussi Niinistö describing it as the 'worst day in the job'. Parliamentarians held a moment of silence for the victims, and President Sauli Niinistö put out a statement expressing his condolences.