A man who captains the ferry between the Reykjavík harbour and the island of Víðey in Reykjavík’s Kollafjörður Bay was arrested on Wednesday night on suspicion of having operated the vessel and transporting passengers while intoxicated. Vísir reports that the man spent the evening in police custody and was set to be interrogated on Thursday afternoon.
A passenger or another ferry employee notified police about the captain’s questionable state around 7.00pm on Wednesday night. Police met the ferry as it arrived at Reykjavík harbour. A breathalyser test revealed that the captain had been drinking.
Icelandic sailing law prohibits the captaining – or even attempted captaining – of a vessel while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Violations are punishable by fine or up to two years in jail.
