Oslo, Norway – Residents near the Oslo Airport in Gardermoen experienced a heightened state of alert Tuesday afternoon as extensive aerial activity, including aircraft and helicopters, coincided with a large-scale emergency exercise simulating a plane crash. The exercise, conducted by the Norwegian Civil Defence, prompted anxiety among local families, notably children, despite assurances from authorities.
Jørgine Massa Vasstrand, a resident of the area, detailed the emotional impact on her family in a social media post shared on Instagram and afterward reported by Nettavisen. “The kids have been scared,but we have reassured them that the fire department has control and that we are evacuated if the fire gets too close. We have had to repeat several times that there is no danger, and that there are people who look after us,” Vasstrand wrote. The exercise involved over 150 personnel from various emergency services, including the Oslo Fire and Rescue Service, the Norwegian Air Ambulance, and local police.
The Norwegian Civil Defence confirmed the exercise was a planned drill designed to test the coordination and response capabilities of emergency services in a realistic scenario. The simulated crash involved a Boeing 737-800 aircraft, with actors portraying injured passengers. The exercise focused on triage, evacuation procedures, and interaction protocols.
video/embed.jsp?id=2f3ac4b1-6caf-4999-8593-2064cabe59e3&pi=3689c16b-4cb9-4a36-baf4-2c3aa7fcc811"/>
Vasstrand drew a stark contrast between the security and reassurance experienced by families in Norway during the exercise and the dire circumstances faced by parents and children in Gaza,where ongoing conflict has resulted in widespread devastation and loss of life. “The 36-year-old concludes that the situation is very distant from what is the truth for parents who are in Gaza,” Nettavisen reported. “They have nothing to say to reassure their children, there is no help on the road, no upper authority protecting their security. There is no way out. There is only more hunger, more violence, more deaths and more hell in store.”
Nettavisen has attempted to reach Jørgine Massa Vasstrand for further comment, but has not yet received a response.
