Collision in Baltic Sea leaves one dead, one missing

One person was killed while another has gone missing following an incident wherein two vessels collided in the Baltic Sea off Denmark and Sweden on Monday, December 13.

The incident involving the Danish hopper barge Karin Høj (pictured) and the UK-registered dry cargo vessel Scot Carrier occurred just off Denmark’s Bonholm Island at around 03:30 local time on Monday.

The collision caused the smaller Karin Høj to immediately capsize with only its upturned keel protruding above the surface.

Search and rescue (SAR) vessels from the Swedish Coastguard and the Swedish Sea Rescue Society as well as some Good Samaritan fishing boats subsequently arrived in the area to render assistance to the distressed crews.

Scot Carrier later sailed to the Swedish port of Ystad under its own power while the overturned Karin Høj was towed to Skillingen, arriving there on Tuesday, December 14.

Two crewmembers on the hopper barge were initially reported as missing. One of them was later found dead within the vessel’s hull as salvors were inspecting the interior.

SAR teams are continuing to scour the area off Bonholm for any sign of the second crewmember.

Reports said the area was enveloped by fog and had sea temperatures of as low as four degrees Celsius at the time of the collision.

Two of Scot Carrier‘s crew have meanwhile been taken into custody in Sweden as part of an investigation into the mishap.