Search Efforts Conclude in Norway as Authorities Shift to Recovery

Norwegian rescue teams have announced the conclusion of active search operations in the Lofoten region, focusing instead on the recovery of a presumed deceased individual. This decision follows a tragic incident involving a boat carrying a Swedish family and a fishing guide, which capsized under unclear circumstances.

Efforts to locate the missing person included the deployment of an underwater remotely operated vehicle, as well as searches conducted on land. By Saturday morning, the overturned vessel had been righted and towed to shore, but the cabin was missing.

During a press briefing, officials from the Norwegian rescue service detailed the sequence of events that unfolded after the emergency call was made. The boat was carrying a Swedish family consisting of four adults and two children, alongside a Swedish fishing guide. The emergency call was received at 12:49, and within six minutes, the first rescue boat arrived on the scene, as it was nearby.

At the time of the rescue operation, six individuals were found on the hull of the capsized boat, while one person was unaccounted for and presumed to be trapped beneath the vessel.

According to reports, the fishing guide attempted to rescue a girl who was trapped under the boat but was unsuccessful. Subsequent diving operations confirmed that the girl was not present in the cabin. Tragically, during further recovery efforts, a 36-year-old male rescuer lost his life.

The police have since seized the man's equipment to conduct an investigation into the incident, and the accident will also be subject to a routine examination by the accident investigation board.

In a somber statement, the secretary general of the rescue service expressed deep sorrow, marking the day as one of the darkest in over a century for the organization. A candle was lit during the press conference next to a photograph of the deceased rescuer, Adrian Willyson Brask.

No further information was provided regarding the Swedish family involved in the incident. It was previously reported that a father and one child were transported to the hospital, while the remaining family members were unharmed. Reports indicate that the condition of the hospitalized individuals is stable.

The company that organized the fishing trip characterized the incident as "incomprehensible." The CEO noted that the boat was large and operated by an experienced guide. Initial assessments suggest that an unexpected current may have caused the vessel to capsize, although it is believed that the size of the boat should have prevented such an event from occurring.

With 21 years of experience in organizing sports fishing tourism and managing 45 boats with thousands of guests annually, the company has not encountered any prior accidents.