Norway Nato exercises: Motorist dies as car hits tank Published duration 7 March 2016

image copyright Karl Joergen Martinsen EPA image caption The accident is now being investigated by police and military police

A motorist was killed when his car collided with a tank on a rural road during a major Nato military exercise in central Norway, police and military officials say.

The crash happened on Monday in Nord Troendelag county, 700km north of Oslo.

Photographs show the concertinaed car surrounded by debris on the road next to the undamaged tank.

About 15,000 troops from Nato and partner countries are in Norway taking part in the Cold Response exercise.

The 50-tonne tank involved in the accident was a Norwegian "armoured recovery vehicle", Lt Col Aleksander Jankov of the Norwegian Armed Forces was quoted by the AP news agency as saying.

"The military is exercising to protect national security. Accidents are always tragic and we think it is particularly sad that a person has died in connection to the military exercise," he said.

He said two military personnel inside the tank were unhurt and that the accident 22km (13.5 miles) south of Snasa is now being investigated by police and military police.

"There was only one person in the car, while there were two people from the Norwegian armed forces in the tank," Rune Reinsborg from Troendelag Police told the NTB website.

"We don't know the circumstances surrounding the accident yet."

The Norwegian armed forces began the large-scale Cold Response exercise on 19 February in Troendelag. Troops taking part come from 14 countries. The exercise lasts until 22 March.

Related Topics Nato

Norway