Danish authorities have arrested the chief officer of a foreign-flagged commercial vessel for striking a berthed sailing yacht near the town of Korsør on Zealand Island on Monday, June 8.
The incident occurred when the Antigua and Barbuda-registered general cargo vessel Olymp Trader was manoeuvring to berth at the port after having arrived from Germany earlier that same evening (local time).
As the cargo ship backed into its assigned berth, its stern headed straight towards a nearby stationary yacht. Local media said the yacht's two occupants were able to jump onto the adjacent pier and run to safety before the two vessels made contact.
The yacht became severely damaged with its mast bent past 45 degrees. The cargo ship continued moving in reverse and ended up knocking over a bollard before finally hitting a dock and coming to a complete stop.
Local police boarded the cargo ship and interviewed the crew. They eventually learned that the chief officer, a 54-year-old Russian national, was at the helm when the yacht was struck.
The police then conducted a breathalyser test on the chief officer and discovered that his blood alcohol level was “one thousandth above” the legal limit. This individual has since been taken into custody and duly charged with a violation of the Danish Maritime Act.
The chief officer was released after spending only one hour in detention. If found guilty, he could face a prison sentence of up to two years in addition to losing his mariner's licence.
