An adult spectator suffered very serious injuries after being struck by a rally car on a competitive stage outside Flisby, north of Nässjö, during the Novemberskölden competition on Saturday, October 31, 2026. Race organizers canceled the fifth stage as emergency services deployed to the scene.
An emergency alert reached SOS Alarm at 14:16 on Saturday regarding a crash on the course outside Flisby in Jönköping County, as reported by Brottsplatskartan. Rescue services responded.
Police units and ambulances also answered the call. The collision occurred directly on the active racing route during the Novemberskölden competition, one of Sweden’s largest rallies, involving a spectator who was standing in the area.
Medical personnel assessed the victim’s injuries as extremely severe. It looked very serious according to the ambulance personnel’s assessment on site, police spokesperson Angelica Israelsson Silfver told SVT, noting that the injured spectator is an adult.
Police Investigate Crash Scene Near Flisby
An ambulance arrived at the remote course location at 14:29. A police patrol followed at 14:41, according to Brottsplatskartan.
By mid-afternoon, the crashed rally car remained in a roadside ditch while a large crowd of spectators milled through the surrounding terrain. Investigators deployed a drone (UAS) at 15:02 to photograph and document the accident scene from the air.
Police officers on the ground focused on gathering witness testimonies and checking whether any bystanders recorded the sequence of events on video. Authorities also coordinated crisis support services for people affected at the venue.
Police spokesperson Angelica Israelsson Silfver said officers must gather as much information as possible from those present. We need to talk to as many witnesses as we can, there may possibly be someone who has filmed part of the course of events, she stated.
Drivers Taken to Hospital After Stage Cancellation
Both the rally driver and the co-driver were taken to the hospital for medical evaluation following the crash, Aftonbladet reported. Police officials stated that the crew members were initially too shocked and shaken to undergo immediate questioning about how the vehicle left the racing line.
Sydsvenskan noted that investigators have established no preliminary criminal classification (no legal status
) as they continue gathering facts. Competition management moved swiftly to alter the event schedule.
Christoffer Svensson, press officer for Novemberskölden, told Aftonbladet that It is deeply tragic.
Tim Liljegren competed at the event. He described the atmosphere in the service areas as deeply unsettling, emphasizing to SVT that rally vehicles travel at extreme speeds and can leave the designated path unexpectedly.
Liljegren noted that participants were waiting on site while uncertainty remained regarding whether the competition would continue.
Questions Remain Unanswered About Safety and Restart
As police continue to interview witnesses and review available video footage, several critical details regarding the incident remain unaddressed in official reports. None of the published accounts specify the exact mechanics of how the vehicle left the route.
Published accounts do not specify whether spectator safety barriers were present at that specific section of the Flisby stage. They also omit what medical updates have been issued from the hospital regarding the injured adult spectator.
Organizers have not yet announced whether the remainder of the Novemberskölden rally will resume or face total cancellation as the police investigation proceeds.