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A major search operation was launched when a kayaker was thought to be missing.
The emergency services met in Breiviken. Photo: Paul S. Amundsen
– We have received a message from a paddle tennis team that a person may be disappearing, police operations manager Stine Mjelde told BT at 9:20 pm on Thursday night.
A group of paddlers from the Bergen Student Sports Association had rowed from Breiviken to the yard and back. When they left, they were 24 years old, but when they returned to land, they were only 23, the police were notified.
There was a lot of wind in the area when the padel party started the return trip.
– There has been no specific information about the rollover. But there is one person who has not been accounted for, Mjelde said.
The task leader Synnøve Malkenes in the police. Photo: Paul S. Amundsen
– Feiltelling
Huge resources were invested in the search operation.
But at 10:15 p.m., the police chief of task, Synnøve Malkenes, informs BT on the spot that they have received confirmation that there are no missing persons.
– There were 23 kayaks paddling. All have recovered. An error count has occurred, says Malkenes.
Morten Neset, a resident of Breiviken, solved the case for police with a photo he took at 6.30pm.
The picture shows 21 kayaks in the fjord. The paddle club has said that two more kayaks rowed 10-15 minutes later.
After Neset showed the photo to the police, they concluded that no one was missing.
Here Morten Neset shows police the photo he took of the rowers. Photo: Paul S. Amundsen
– It’s funny that my photo can solve it
– Now there is happiness here. We have finished the search, thanks to a witness who lives in the neighborhood who took a great photo, says Mjelde in the operations center.
– Completely unexpected, but funny, that the photo I took this afternoon turned out to be able to help solve this problem, says Neset to BT.
He took the photo from his own living room window, as he often does with ships at sea.
– When I found out about the rescue operation, I told my wife that the photo might be of interest to her. Among other things, you can see the color of the various kayaks.
The information was well received by the police.
– They were happy that I solved the problem. It was an unexpected reception committee, says Neset, who was interviewed by various outlets at the scene.
Here’s one of the photos Morten Neset took of the rowers, which clears up the error count. Photo: Paul S. Amundsen
Eleven boats participated
The police were notified at 8:23 p.m. The main rescue center coordinated efforts at sea and in the air, while the police managed resources on land.
Rescue helicopter, air ambulance, Sjøbrand fireboat, rescue boat, KV «Tor», KV «Sortland» and KNM «Gnist» participated in the search, a total of eleven boats.
Despite the miscalculation, the operations manager still praises NHH students for notifying the police.
– It’s great that they give notice. It is better to warn once more than once less, says Mjelde.
Several ships searched Byfjorden. Photo: Arne edvardsen
