Authorities said the 96.3-meter-long cargo vessel was sailing under a false Guinea flag, prompting concerns about its legal status, as reported by News.Az.
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According to the coast guard, assessments based on national and international maritime legislation indicate that the vessel should be regarded as stateless. As a result, the ship cannot claim the right of innocent passage, which permits foreign vessels to sail through a Sweden’s waters.
Authorities also suspect the 1997-built vessel may not be seaworthy because there is no legitimate flag state responsible for verifying its safety standards.
Personnel from the Swedish police and coast guard boarded the freighter and took control to conduct an investigation that included collecting information from the crew and assessing the vessel and its condition on board.
The investigation remains ongoing at sea.
