Suspected vessel off Ystad allowed to depart

A ship detained near Ystad on suspicion of environmental violations has been cleared to leave after investigators found no evidence of wrongdoing, the Swedish Coast Guard announced on Friday.

The vessel Flora 1, which had been held since Thursday, was suspected of an oil spill in the Baltic Sea and potential breaches of maritime law due to unclear flag registration. However, authorities confirmed that Cameroon had verified the ship’s registration in its maritime registry, removing grounds for further legal action.

“The suspicions do not lead to prosecution,” said Daniel Stenling, deputy head of the Coast Guard’s operational division.

The Flora 1 had sailed from a Russian oil port in the Gulf of Finland, SVT News reported earlier, though its intended destination remained unclear. The Coast Guard initially boarded the ship after detecting the oil spill but concluded the investigation without filing charges.