Four people were injured and required hospital treatment following the accident which occurred in the middle of the night on Rålambshovsleden, near the Russian Embassy in Kungsholmen.

According to witness reports the car drove into the back of three taxis which were waiting at a red light. The driver then ran away from the scene leaving his passenger in the back of the car.

Police are waiting to establish who was behind the wheel of the diplomatic vehicle, as it has implications on whether or not the driver is subject to immunity from prosecution.

”If the driver is a regular embassy official who was working in his official capacity at the time, then he is eligible for diplomatic immunity, but not if the driver was driving in his spare time,” Lars-Erik Baarsen, station commander at Södermalm police, told TT news agency.

Police questioned the passenger of the car at the scene but so far the driver remains at large.

Baarsen added that the rules on immunity for diplomatic staff are straightforward and it is only the diplomats themselves who have permanent immunity.

The Swedish foreign ministry usually deals directly with the embassies in matters involving the polices.

”In this case however we are cooperating with the police, so questions should be referred to them,” foreign ministry spokesperson Pia Roed said.

Roed added that diplomats must follow the law of the countries they are working.