A major rescue operation is under way after two cargo ships collided in the Baltic Sea off the Swedish coast, causing one to overturn.
At least two people are believed to be in the water following the incident in the early hours of Monday, the Swedish Maritime Administration (SMA) said.
The overturned ship, the Karin Hoej, is registered in Denmark. The other vessel is the UK-flagged Scot Carrier.
A spokesman for the SMA said screams were reported from the cold water.
“It is very cold and dark,” Jonas Franzen told the BBC. “At the moment, the water is about 4C and the air is about 6C.”
Two people were reportedly on board the Karin Hoej when the incident occurred in an area of the Baltic Sea between the southern Swedish coastal town of Ystad and the Danish island Bornholm.
Mr Franzen said a distress call was received at about 03:30 local time (04:30 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 have joined search and rescue efforts.
It is not yet clear what caused the collision, or what cargo may have have been on board either ship.
The Scot Carrier is 90m (295ft) long and the Karin Hoej is 55m, according to the maritime website VesselFinder.
Source: BBC News
