App could be key piece in solving boat accident

Police are exploring all avenues to understand a collision between a merchant ship and a small motorboat, with the popular navigation app Skippo potentially playing a key role. The app, used by over a million people, allows users to plan routes, navigate in real-time, and share their journeys. It also displays boats equipped with AIS transmitters.

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We are exploring all possibilities we can to create as good a picture as possible of what happened and why.

The owners of the 7.6-meter motorboat involved in the incident have a registered profile in Skippo. If the app was used during the evening of the collision, it could provide police with precise details of the boat's movements. Skippo's CEO stated that user data is private but can be formally requested by law enforcement, subject to data protection laws.

While police declined to comment on whether they had requested the data, citing investigation secrecy, information from the merchant ship is more readily available. The ship is equipped with transponders that track its route and speed, and it also has a "black box" that records bridge communications, radio traffic, and radar images. Maritime experts confirm that such data provides extensive details about the vessel's activity.

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All data including routes in Skippo is private and only accessible to the user. Any logs can formally be requested by the police and prosecution authorities. In those cases, a review is made whether it is compatible with data protection laws to disclose the information.

The National Forensic Centre is involved in analyzing seized items and findings. The Swedish Maritime Accident Board will also examine all navigational aids and data to reconstruct the recreational boat's route.

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There, you have recordings of communication from the ship's bridge, communication from the radio, as well as radar images. There is a lot of information there.