Cargo ship Longdawn’s captain and helmsman charged with abandoning sailor at sea after collision

The captain and helmsman of the cargo vessel Longdawn have been charged with abandoning a man at sea. This follows an incident in May where it is believed the Longdawn collided with the coastal fishing boat Höddu off the coast of Garðskagi. The fishing boat capsized and the lone sailor on board narrowly managed to save himself.

The two accused, who are Russian, have been under travel restrictions since May. They were arrested in Vestmannaeyjar after the Icelandic Coast Guard directed the ship there following the incident. Alcohol, THC and Benzo were detected in the helmsman’s system, as revealed in a report including the travel restriction ruling from May.

It was also stated in the report that the two men are suspected of deliberately or recklessly endangering the life of the Höddu sailor and abandoning him without attempting to assist him. Such actions could lead to a sentence of up to eight years in prison.