One person died and seven others were injured in a three-car accident on the main Turku-Helsinki motorway near Paimio, southwest Finland, on Saturday morning.

According to the Southwest Finland Police Department, a car heading towards Helsinki for some reason drove through an emergency crossing point into oncoming traffic on the other side of the dual-carriageway motorway. It struck two other cars that were heading toward Turku.

One person has been taken into custody on suspicion of aggravated manslaughter, aggravated endangerment of traffic safety, aggravated bodily harm, aggravated drunk driving and a drug offense.

According to police, a total of eight people were in the three vehicles at the time.

All of the injured were taken to hospital, but initial reports indicated that their injuries are not life-threatening.

The deceased was a passenger in the car that turned into oncoming traffic.

Police received the first report of the accident around 8:30am, but did not announce the fatality and injuries until about four hours later.

According to Fintraffic, the Turku-bound side of the highway was closed while rescue and clearance work was underway.

At 11:12am, police said that the motorway had been re-opened to traffic.

Rescue and emergency medical services were at the scene with at least three fire trucks, several ambulances and a helicopter.

First responders in the region were kept busy on Saturday. In the afternoon, four people were hospitalised after two motorcycles collided in Pusula, some 80km east of Paimio.

2 May, 11:30am: Added video, IS quote, highway reopening.

2 May, 12:05pm: Added map, police statement.

2 May, 12:46pm: Updated with fatality, injuries and possible charges.

3 May, 9:53am: Added Pusula crash.

3 May, 3:43pm: Added that the deceased was a passenger in the car that turned into oncoming traffic.