A cargo ship was successfully refloated after it ran aground near the maritime border between Sweden and Norway in the early morning (local time) of Thursday, October 16.
The Norwegian-flagged general cargo vessel Hagland Captain was transporting timber between the Norwegian towns of Porsgrunn and Halden when it ran aground near the Svinesund Bridge, which connects the two countries, at around 01:00 on Thursday.
The incident reportedly occurred as the area near the bridge was enveloped in dense fog.
A tug and a Swedish Coastguard patrol boat arrived at the scene a little over two hours later to render assistance. Divers then inspected the cargo ship's hull for damage while investigators questioned the crew.
Breathalyser tests revealed that the crew had not consumed alcohol beyond the legal limit prior to the grounding.
Hagland Captain was finally refloated with the aid of two tugs at high tide at around 14:50 and then towed to Halden, where it has remained since.
Local authorities confirmed that the incident did not result in injuries or pollution.
