At least two people are believed to be in the water
A major rescue operation is under way in the Baltic Sea after two cargo ships collided off the Swedish coast, leaving one of the vessels “upside down.”
The incident happened in the early hours of Monday morning when a Danish cargo ship, called the Karin Hoej, collided with the British ship, the Scot Carrier.
The British vessel is still functional and the crew is safe, but there are concerns for the two crew members onboard the Karin Hoej. Swedish broadcaster SVT reports that they are both Danish citizens.
Swedish authorities have taken the lead on the rescue operation, with helicopters and about 10 boats involved in the search,
The Swedish Maritime Administration (SMA) said that at least two people are believed to be in the water following the collision.
A spokesman for the SMA, Jonas Franzen, told STV: “We have not found anyone yet. But we have requested diving resources… it is dark and very cold.”
He added that there is “a great risk that the capsized ship will sink.”
According to the BBC, reports came in at about 04:45 local time (03:45 GMT) on Monday.
The cause of the collision is unclear at the moment. The incident occurred in an area of the Baltic Sea between the southern Swedish coastal town of Ystad and the Danish island Bornholm.
The capsized Danish ship is 55 metres long, whilst the British ship is around 90 metres long.
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