UK ship investigated after Danish boat capsizes
Two Danish crew members of a capsized barge were missing in the freezing Baltic Sea on Monday after an overnight collision with a British vessel in a busy maritime route off Sweden.
Prosecutors have begun an inquiry into alleged gross negligence at sea involving the UK-flagged Scot Carrier, report BBC.
The coastguard was also investigating suspected drunkenness on board.
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With the pair unlikely to survive long in water temperatures around 4 Celsius, rescue boats and a helicopter hunted for hours. There was also hope they might still be inside an air pocket within the hull of the overturned Karin Hoj.
A spokesman for the Swedish Maritime Administration (SMA) said screams had been heard from the water after the collision in the early hours of Monday.
"It is very cold and dark," Jonas Franzen told the BBC. "The water is about 4C (39F) and the air is about 5C (41F)."
The incident occurred in an area of the Baltic Sea between the southern Swedish coastal town of Ystad and the Danish island of Bornholm, he said. Johan Nilsson, in charge of the rescue operation, told Swedish media the hull of the Swedish boat had signs of being completely run over.
Mr Franzen said a distress call was received at about 03:30 local time (02:30 GMT) on Monday. When a rescue team later approached the area, they reported "hearing screams in the water".
"We have not found anyone yet," he said, adding that divers were being sent out.
Two helicopters and several boats from Sweden and Denmark helped with the search, but rescue efforts at sea were stopped hours later.
The Inverness-registered Scot Carrier also initially assisted, with teams attempting to right the Danish ship. It was later being towed to a nearby Swedish port.
A search of the overturned Karin Hoej will take place when it arrives at the port, the SMA said.
All those on board the Scot Carrier were said to be safe and well.
