Swedish Forces Inspect Cargo Ship in the Baltic

Swedish media is reporting that a small dry cargo ship possibly linked to Russia was boarded overnight on Saturday, October 31, near the Swedish island of Gotland in the Baltic. Swedish authorities confirmed to the broadcaster TV4 that they had conducted the search without providing details.

A police spokesperson termed it a “routine border check.” They said the crew’s “identities and travel documents” were checked during the visit. They said the vessel was not detained and continues to sail on its voyage.

The TV4 report, however, says that an elite unit of Swedish forces was involved in the boarding and search of the vessel. The police spokesperson would only say that they had used the resources available for the inspection.

The media is speculating on the identity of the vessel, saying it was linked to a firm that has been previously identified as being suspected of Russian surveillance efforts and hybrid warfare. The reports are saying the company’s vessels have been repeatedly located in the same area where unidentified drones were spotted and approached military facilities. The media reports are asserting the unnamed vessel was acting suspiciously off the coast of Gotland for days before it was boarded.

This story was originally published by The Maritime Executive. Read the full story at The Maritime Executive →