Successful Rescue Operation: Crew Saved from Burning Cargo Ship Sofia in the Baltic Sea
Danish and Swedish authorities worked together to rescue the crew of a cargo ship that was on fire off the coast of Sweden late on Thursday night, November 28. The Swedish Maritime Administration reported that all crew members were safely hoisted without injury and taken to Kristianstad by a helicopter.
The Danish Joint Rescue Coordination Center (JRCC) detected the emergency aboard the cargo ship Sofia (1 827 dwt) at 9:20 PM local time and notified the Swedish Armed Forces, as the vessel was in Swedish waters. The ship was approximately 30 nautical miles east of Bornholm, a Danish island in the Baltic Sea. It was traveling empty from Poland, having departed on November 27, and was scheduled to arrive in Ellenholm, Sweden, to load cargo on November 29.
The crew issued a mayday call reporting a fire on board and requesting assistance. The Swedish Armed Forces coordinated with the Swedish Maritime Administration, which dispatched a helicopter. The Swedish Coast Guard provided information about the number of people on the vessel.
Source: Sjöfartsverket
The Swedish helicopter was the first to arrive and reported a fire at the bow of the ship. While media reports mentioned an explosion, the Swedish Maritime Authority stated that the cause of the fire was undetermined. The Danish authorities also sent a helicopter to standby, and the Danish frigate Absalon, which was returning to base after an exercise, diverted to the scene.
The Swedish helicopter successfully hoisted the five crew members from the cargo ship and transported them to shore. The Swedish Maritime Authority emphasized the swift rescue, with the crew safely aboard the helicopter by 11:00 PM, just one hour and 40 minutes after the initial alert. At the time of the rescue, winds were gusting up to 33 knots, and video footage showed the vessel rolling heavily in the Baltic Sea.
The Sofia is one of two cargo ships operated by the Swedish company Fiducia Shipping. The company acquired the vessel, built in Germany in 1986, in 2019. It is registered in Sweden and is used to transport various agricultural products and fuel pellets. The ship measures 236 feet (72 meters) in length. The shipowner has reportedly hired tugs that are en route to salvage the drifting vessel, which the Polish maritime agency states is not in immediate danger, drifting at about 1,2 knots.
The Swedish Maritime Authority highlighted the effective collaboration among the different organizations that contributed to the safe rescue of the crew.
