A van driver was killed this morning in a serious accident on the N381, the Emmen – Drachten road, the police reported. The victim is a 36-year-old man from Assen.
The accident happened just after eight o’clock near Aalden. For unknown reasons, the driver veered off the road, drove down an embankment and came to a stop against a tree at the Paardelandsdrift service road.
Police, fire brigade, ambulance and trauma helicopter arrived on the scene to provide assistance, but the driver died on the spot from his injuries. According to the police, no other vehicles were involved in the accident and the man from Assen was the only occupant of the van.
The damage was extensive; the impact caused the engine block of the van to be thrown out of the vehicle. The cause of the accident is not known, the police are investigating. One lane of the N381 is therefore closed. It is not known how long this closure will last.