Master of grounded wellboat ‘had taken amphetamines, GHB and cocaine’

A ship’s master in his late 20s is accused of being under the influence of amphetamines, the ‘date rape drug’ GHB and cocaine while piloting a wellboat in Norway.

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Last year, a wellboat ran aground at Skardsøya in Aure municipality, southwest of Trondheim. The ship had a strong list and had to get help from both volunteer lifeboat service the Rescue Company and the Coast Guard, reports Tidens Krav.

The prosecuting authority believes that the grounding was due to a lack of attention to the task as master, as well as inadequate use of navigation aids. The accused also piloted the vessel at too high a speed according to the conditions, in combination with being under the influence of drugs.

The prosecution believes the man also took drugs in the time from when the ship grounded to when the police came on board the ship, the newspaper writes.