Måbødalen bus accident

[2] It had been chartered for a school trip, carrying fifth graders from Kista in Sweden to Bergen, from where they were scheduled to continue to Shetland.

The 44-year-old driver, Kent Sören Byström, was recovered alive from the wreck and was able to testify to investigators, but he succumbed from his injuries on August 27 at a hospital in Stockholm.

The road through the Måbø Valley features fairly steep gradients over a long stretch, as much as 8% over a distance of 4 kilometres (2.5 mi).

An attempt from the driver to switch to a lower gear failed, and left the wheels entirely decoupled from the engine.

[6] Vehicle brakes frequently overheat along the steep road in the Måbø Valley, with a number of lorries catching fire and at least one fatal truck accident in 1998.