The ferry operator Unity Line reported on Monday an incident on the Skania ferry operating on the Swinoujscie to Ystad Ferry route. Near Rügen, one of the passengers ended up in the water. A several-hour search operation coordinated by the German rescue services did not bring results.
Information about the incident was provided on Monday morning by Katarzyna Antoń from the management of Unity Line, the company operating ferry connections in the Baltic Sea.
“On December 28, in the Baltic Sea near Sassnitz, the Skania ferry belonging to Unity Line broadcast a ‘Man overboard’ message following a report from a witness who said that one of the passengers had fallen into the water. The passenger was of Polish nationality,” Antoń reported.
Sassnitz is located on the eastern coast of the island of Rügen, Germany. The search and rescue operation was coordinated by the German Maritime Search and Rescue Service (SAR). Units from Denmark and Sweden also took part in the operation. The Polonia ferry belonging to Unity Line also joined the search. The operation lasted several hours and was conducted in difficult weather conditions. Stormy weather prevailed in the Baltic Sea. Antoń said that at 6:21 p.m., SAR decided to “release the Skania and Polonia ferries from the rescue operation,” after which they headed to the ports of Ystad and Swinoujscie.
“Unity Line remains in contact with the relevant services. At this stage, we are not providing additional information,” Antoń concluded.