Fishing in rugged Norway is a dream come true for many passionate anglers. Endless fjords, icy nature, huge cod or halibut and the feeling of complete escape from reality attract thousands of people from all over Europe every year. Several people talk about an unforgettable life experience. However, behind the romantic notion of Nordic adventure, there is also a flip side that is often less talked about.
The weather in Norway can change within a few minutes, the sea is extremely unpredictable and strong winds or high waves can put even experienced fishermen in serious danger. A moment of inattention, a technical problem on the boat or an underestimation of the conditions is all it takes, and a dream expedition can turn into a fight for life.
Fishing in Norway became fatal for Slovak singer Igor Jarolín († 60) from the group Kredenc. The tragedy occurred on the night of Monday, May 11 near the island of Smøla. All rescue services were looking for three foreign tourists. In the night came the news that everyone was dreading. Their overturned ship was discovered in the same area, reports the website
The search was launched after a pleasure boat carrying three foreign fishing tourists failed to return to the island of Smøla in the Møre og Romsdal area at the agreed time. “We got their last locations and started a search on the west side of Smøla Island,” said acting rescue chief Steinar Vatne.
It is not yet clear what happened. “We don’t know what happened, but all indications were that they had been in the water for several hours before we arrived,” said Andreas Bull of the rescue service. Witnesses confirmed that the water conditions were not ideal. “One of the people who was on a similar boat said that it was windy and there were waves at sea. However, it is too early to say whether this is what caused the boat to capsize,” Bull declared for the website.
Tanja Krangnes, specialist in drowning prevention at the Rescue Company, revealed to the website where the error could have occurred. “The night accident was tragic. A lack of local knowledge, underestimation of the weather and a lack of understanding of safety are among the common features of tourism fishing accidents. Many foreign tourists who come to Norway to fish have limited experience of Norwegian conditions. The combination of weather, sea and boat can be difficult even for experienced fishermen from other countries,” she explained clearly.
The information about the bad weather was also confirmed by the operational officer of the Møre og Romsdal police district, Sindre Molnes. “There were quite big waves. The wind from the southeast reached a speed of 8 to 11 meters per second. The waves were between one and 1.8 meters high, visibility was good, it was raining lightly and the temperature was between 6 and 8 degrees,” he said.
