What happened near Nappstraumen, Lofoten
On Friday, a 10.5-meter aluminum boat owned by Nordic Sea Angling capsized in the Nappstraumen strait off Lofoten. The vessel carried a Swedish family of six and a guide, with seven people aboard. Six were rescued, but a 12-year-old Swedish girl remained unaccounted for. Tragically, a Redningsselskapet rescue worker, Adrian Willyson Brask, 36, lost his life during the operation. The boat was towed to Lilleeidet marina on Friday evening, and the hoisting operation took place Saturday morning. The wheelhouse on the boat had detached and, as of now, has not been found.
The ongoing investigation and rescue efforts have faced powerful currents in the area, complicating the search for the missing girl. Authorities have not confirmed the exact moment of the capsizing, but the sequence of events points to a chaotic incident that demanded immediate, high-risk responses from responders on scene.
HRS theory on the missing person
Hovedredningssentralen (HRS) has outlined a theory regarding the whereabouts of the missing girl. “We have a theory that the missing person is in the wheelhouse and has remained with the vessel as it sank,” said Ørjan Delbekk, the watch chief at HRS, to Dagbladet on Saturday afternoon. This perspective guides the search strategy as responders balance hope with the realities of a challenging marine environment.
What the search looks like right now
The search for the 12-year-old girl has continued into Friday night and across Saturday morning. Officials described a broad, multi-pronged effort, using both air and sea assets to cover a wide area. “The search is ongoing at full speed. There are aircraft and drones searching from above, while boats and crews search in and around the water,” said Linda Hansen, rescue leader at HRS, in a statement released on Saturday. The operation includes two coast guard vessels in addition to several local boats assisting with the search.
Volunteer crews and local vessels also play a significant role in the effort, underscoring the community-wide response that often accompanies such incidents. Hansen expressed appreciation for these volunteers, noting that their participation is invaluable in these scenarios.
What happens next
As the weekend continues, authorities are maintaining a vigilant, methodical approach. With the wheelhouse unaccounted for and the current remaining strong in the area, search teams will likely adapt their procedures to the evolving conditions. The family aboard the boat — Swedish nationals on a guided fishing trip — remains at the center of the investigation and relief efforts, with responders focused on locating the missing girl while continuing to recover missing equipment and assess the vessel’s sea-worthiness for any future steps in the incident’s aftermath.
In summarizing the situation, officials emphasize both the peril of the environment and the dedication of the responders who risked their lives in the line of duty. The tragedy has already claimed a rescue worker, and the community waits for new updates as the search continues through the weekend.
Keywords: Lofoten, Nappstraumen, boat capsizes, missing Swedish girl, HRS, search and rescue
