Two cargo ships collided on December 13 in an area of the Baltic Sea between the southern Swedish coastal town of Ystad and the Danish island Bornholm. One of the ships overturned due to the collision, and a major rescue operation is underway. As per reports, the incident took place in the early hours of Monday. The ship that has overturned is a Danish cargo vessel named Karin Hoej and the other ship involved in the incident is Scot Carrier from the UK. Karin Hoej had only two persons onboard, and at present both of them are missing.
The 55-metre Karin Hoej barge and 90-metre Scot Carrier were sailing in the same direction when they hit each other in Swedish territorial waters, officials said. The overturned Karin Hog was later towed away in waters full of wreckage.
Swedish Maritime Administration (SMA) spokesperson said in a statement that screams were reported from the water. Jonas Franzen, head of communications at the SMA, said, “It is very cold and dark. At the moment, the water is about 4C, and the air is about 6C.”
Franzen further added that a distress call was made at around 3:30 AM local time. When the rescue team approached the area, they reported screams in the water. “We have not found anyone yet,” he said. Divers of the rescue team are searching for survivors. Two helicopters and several boats from Denmark and Sweden have joined the rescue operation.
Reuters quoted Soren Hoj, managing director of the company Rederiet Hoj that owns the Karin Hoej, saying, “I can confirm an accident has happened, but I do not know the circumstances.” It has been found that lifeboats or other emergency equipment on the sunk ship were not used by the two-person crew.
The Scot Carrier, which was not damaged in the collision and is functional, is also assisting in the rescue operation. Those who were on board the Scot Carrier have been reported safe. It is still unclear what had caused the collision and if there was any cargo on any of the ships. Reports suggest that such collisions are rare in the Baltic Sea.