Grounded ship at Bjørnøya: Captain and officer sentenced

Captain and first officer of the Russian freezing ship Petrozavodsk, grounded 11 May near the southern tip of Bjørnøya, have been sentenced by the North-Norwegian “tingrett” to 15 respectively 40 days in prison. They have been accused of being under influence of alcohol. The officer has additionally been accused for having caused the grounding by falling asleep while on duty and entering the protected zone near the southern coast of Bjørnøya, which must not be entered between 15 May and 31 August by vessels larger than 40 feet.

The Captain was sent back home to Russia after the sentence had been passed, as both had already spent 15 days under arrest. 

Source: Sysselmannen