An investigation into a vessel owned by Greenland-based Polar Seafood in relation to the disappearance of a 20-year-old woman has drawn to a close, the company said in a statement on 25 January.
Two crewmembers working aboard the vessel Polar Nanoq have been taken into custody in connection to the disappearance and death of Birna Brjánsdóttir, who was found deceased on a Reykjavik beach, culminating Iceland’s biggest search and rescue operation in the country’s history. According to Polar Seafood, one of the suspected crewmembers has also allegedly been tied to a smuggling operation involving large quantities of the drug hashish. Icelandic authorities reportedly found quantities of the drug aboard the Polar Nanoq around 19 January, reported the Icelandic Review.
Polar Seafood has been working with Icelandic authorities throughout their investigation, and will continue to do so, assured Jørgen Fossheim, Fleet Manager at Polar Seafood, in the company’s latest statement, published by the Icelandic Review.
“Polar Seafood will continue to offer the Icelandic authorities all possible assistance in relation to the police’s investigations. At the same time, all enquiries regarding the investigations are directed to the police,” said Fossheim, on behalf of Polar Seafood.
Fossheim continued: “The events of the past days have been difficult for Polar Nanoq’s crew and others at Polar Seafood. However, the company cannot be held responsible for the actions of individuals in its employment. Everyone at Polar Seafood is in shock because of the events and revelations of the last few days and [we] offer [our] sincere condolences to the family and friends of Birna Brjánsdóttir.
“We at Polar Seafood are grateful for all the assistance we have received in Iceland in these difficult times. We would like to express our gratitude to Icelandic authorities, the foreign office and police, the Danish embassy, as well as to all the volunteers from the Icelandic Search and Rescue,” the company’s statement concluded.
The crew aboard the Polar Nanoq has been replaced in part, with a few additional crewmembers choosing to return home rather than returning to sea. The trawler is scheduled to make its way back out to sea soon.
