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FERRY

Norwegian man dies after airlift from Copenhagen-Oslo ferry

The man was flown to the Danish capital’s Rigshospitalet by helicopter after being taken ill on board the ship.

Norwegian man dies after airlift from Copenhagen-Oslo ferry
Pearl Seaways at the DFDS Seaways terminal in Oslo. File photo: Audun Braastad/NTB scanpix

The man become seriously ill just after the DFDS ferry Pearl Seaways departed Copenhagen on Sunday, reports Danish newspaper BT.

“We are aware of this incident and can confirm that a Norwegian citizen has died. We are providing assistance in accordance with standard practice and relevant guidelines relating to the death of Norwegian citizens abroad,” Norwegian foreign ministry spokesperson Ane Haavardsdatter Lunde told newspaper Dagbladet.

The subsequent death of the man was announced by local newspaper Eikernytt, which said that the man was from the town of Hokksund in the Øvre Eiker municipality.

“We had one person on board who we had to evacuate from the ferry so that they could receive treatment. I am unable to say any more than that,” DFDS’ press officer Gert Jakobsen told BT on Sunday.

The evacuation took place over the Øresund strait between Denmark and Sweden.

The ferry company followed standard procedures during the operation, says its administrative director Roar Funderud.

“We have trained health personnel on board, it is part of an officer’s training. If somebody becomes sick then they will be cared for by one of these personnel. The ship is always in contact with something called Radio Medical, where specialists are available. Similarly to air and road travel, there are cases where we call for doctors, and this is what happened in this instance. If necessary, evacuation can be recommended. Then we call for ambulance helicopters who airlift the individual taken ill,” Funderud told Dagbladet.