Nine injured as car drives into crowd at light parade in Dutch town Photo

Nine people were injured, three of them seriously, after a car drove into a crowd of spectators waiting for an annual light parade in the Dutch town of Nunspeet, authorities said.

According to witnesses, the car approached the area at high speed before striking the crowd, Caliber.Az reports via Dutch media. 

Police said the driver, a 56-year-old woman from Nunspeet, sustained minor injuries and was arrested as a suspect. Investigators are examining the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Witnesses told local media that the vehicle appeared to enter from a side street, drove straight across a roundabout and then ploughed into the spectators. Emergency services responded quickly, providing medical assistance at the scene.

Nunspeet Mayor Céline Blom noted that the incident was most likely the result of an accident and that the driver may have suffered a medical emergency. She said there were no indications of foul play at this stage, though the investigation is ongoing.

A bystander who attended the event with his family described scenes of panic, saying the impact happened very quickly and that people were “flying,” and thrown to the ground. He said his wife provided first aid to the injured while he stayed with their children. Several witnesses reported hearing screams and seeing people lying injured on the road.

By Sabina Mammadli