Mother, daughter missing after cargo ship collides with boat in Sweden

A collision between a Norwegian cargo ship and a Swedish recreational boat off the coast of Tjörn, Sweden, has left a mother and daughter missing. The incident occurred Tuesday evening when the cargo ship struck the boat carrying a family of four. The father and son were pulled from the water and taken to a hospital, with the son requiring intensive care overnight. Both sustained serious injuries.

Rescue services received the alert around 10 p.m. from another recreational boat. The cargo ship, which reportedly did not notice the collision, continued its journey toward Norway but was ordered to return by authorities. Swedish media reported heavy rain and winds of 6-7 meters per second at the time of the collision, suggesting that poor visibility may have prevented the vessels from seeing each other.

Several rescue boats, a helicopter, and divers participated in the search operation. However, the search was suspended after 2 a.m. due to poor visibility and the exhaustion of rescue personnel. The Swedish Maritime Administration noted that darkness and adverse weather conditions complicated the search, which resumed Wednesday morning.

Police have initiated a preliminary investigation into negligent conduct in maritime traffic. The incident has raised concerns about maritime safety in the region, especially given the challenging weather conditions.