One dead and two arrested after collision

One crew member from a Danish cargo ship involved in a crash with a Scottish vessel bound for Montrose has died.

It has been reported a crew member had been found dead in the hull of the upturned Danish barge, while a British and Croatian crewman have been taken into custody.

The Scot Carrier was in a crash with Danish ship Karin Hoej in the early hours of yesterday in a busy Baltic shipping route off Sweden. A major rescue operation was launched after two crew members from the Danish vessel were reported missing.

International media, including Swedish news site Kvallsposten, have now reported that one of the missing crew has died.

They said authorities in Sweden had launched a probe into the crash, with a British and Croatian national arrested.

It is understood both of those arrested had been on the Montrose-bound Scot Carrier, which is registered in Inverness and was due to arrive in Scotland yesterday afternoon. The Swedish Maritime Administration and local police confirmed one person was found dead in the boat.

Authorities first received a distress call at around 3.30am local time, with screams heard as they approached the scene between the Swedish town of Ystad and the island of Bornholm.

The Danish Meteorological Institute said that while there was fog in the area at the time, it had not been dense and that the weather was unusual for the time of the year.

Swedish prosecutors said a probe into several crimes is under way, including gross negligence in maritime traffic, causing death through negligence and marine intoxication.

A press spokesman for the Swedish Coastguard Valdemar Lindekrantz told the country’s TV4 network: “We suspect that parts of the British crew have not been sober”.

Soren Hoj, managing director of Rederiet Hoj, which owns the Karin HOJ, said: “I can confirm an accident has happened, but I do not know the circumstances.”

A spokesperson for operator Scotline said: “We can confirm that they have an interest on the Scot Carrier, however, for the time being Scotline are not in a position to comment further since the details of the incident are currently under investigation.

“The master, ship, crew and company are assisting and complying with local authorities as required.”

We suspect that parts of the British crew have not been sober

TRAGEDY: Divers work on the capsized Danish cargo ship Karin Hoej after it collided with British cargo vessel Scot Carrier in the Baltic Sea, between Ystad and Bornholm.