Early Sunday morning, a bulk carrier ran aground in Swedish waters near Klagshamn. The Coast Guard is investigating suspected drunkenness and gross negligence in maritime traffic, with one crew member already arrested. The ship has not taken on water, nor have any spills been observed so far.
The ship, the name of which has not been revealed, is a 93-metre-long bulk carrier loaded with scrap metal. It ran aground at 2:30 a.m. Sunday morning while it was heading north, into the Öresund.
It is aground alongside the fairway, reports the Swedish Coast Guard. The grounding does not hinder shipping in the area. The Coast Guard unit KBV 314 has personnel on board to carry out investigative measures. The Swedish Transport Agency is also on board.
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No spills detected so far
There are currently no signs that oil has entered the water. Coast Guard surveillance flights will monitor the situation. There are approximately 69,000 litres of diesel oil on board. The risks of spills increase when a salvage operation begins.
It has not yet been decided how and when the ship can be moved. Coast Guard divers were unable to examine the ship’s hull and bottom conditions at the site as weather conditions made dive operations impossible.
Before a salvage operation can begin, the salvage plan developed by the shipping company and the salvage company must be approved by the Swedish Transport Agency together with the Coast Guard. The inspection that the Coast Guard divers plan to make of the hull and the seabed where the ship is located will provide important information for the salvage operation and measures that may be required for a safe removal.
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Crew member arrested
The Coast Guard has arrested one person from the crew, suspected of gross negligence in maritime traffic. An investigation into suspected drunkenness at sea is ongoing.
Picture by the Swedish Coast Guard.
