COPENHAGEN, DENMARK—A British national has been ordered to be held in pretrial custody suspected of being drunk on the British freighter that collided with a Danish freighter off southern Sweden earlier this week, leaving one person dead and one missing.
The man was a crew member on the Scot Carrier that collided Monday with Danish-flagged Karin Hoej, causing the latter to capsize. One person was later found dead inside the hull and another is missing. The pre-dawn collision happened in foggy weather.
The Malmo District Court in southern Sweden on Thursday formally arrested the Briton, who wasn’t named. He is suspected of aggravated sea drunkenness, aggravated negligence in maritime traffic and causing another person’s death. The man in his 30s has acknowledged negligence. But his defense lawyer, Fredrik Kjellin, said his client denies causing another person’s death in aggravated circumstances.
Earlier this week, the British shipping company said the Scot Carrier crew was tested for drugs and alcohol after the collision and “two crew members exceeded the limit.” It wasn’t clear whether they were referring to the Briton or other crew members.
A Croatian crew member who is suspected of “gross sea drunkenness” was briefly detained but was later released Wednesday. He was born in 1965.
Media in Sweden have reported that the Scot Carrier continued its route after the collision and was afterwards ordered back to the scene by Swedish authorities. The capsized vessel was towed closer to land so divers from the Swedish armed forces and the coast guard, among others, could search it.
