Swedes in distress in the Caribbean: “We must have water, food and Pilsner” | Sweden

On Wednesday morning, news came that two Swedish citizens in distress at sea were rescued by the Nicaraguan Navy in the Caribbean Sea.

Reports said the Swedish sailboat was drifting in waters near Nicaragua due to engine failure.

According to the Swedes, Mauritz Andersson, 68, and Mikael Månsson, 50, things did not play out exactly as the Nicaraguan Coast Guard described them.

– Mauritz Andersson said the captain was hungry for media attention.

Famous for Operation Praia

Anderson, known as the “Lone Sailor” for his involvement in a drug gang smuggling cocaine from South America to Europe, was investigated as part of police’s Operation Praia.

In 2010, Mauritz Andersson was arrested with 1.2 tons of cocaine on his sailboat in Martinique as he was preparing to sail alone from the Caribbean to Europe. Andersson has been in prison multiple times and was sentenced to 14 years in prison before being released on parole in 2019.

– It’s been 15 years. There has certainly been enough nagging by now. I have atoned for that part, gone, gone. I try to live the life I have left. I have to sail, he said.

Sailing on the reef

Now Mauritz Andersson plans to cross the Atlantic together with Mikael Månsson in his 11-meter longboat.

Manson sailed from Panama City to pick up Anderson on the island of Colon, near the Costa Rican border, but he ran over a reef and sustained significant damage to his boat.

The boat was lifted by crane onto a bulldozer that cut through the island’s jungle before being loaded onto a ferry to the mainland, where it was made seaworthy.

The rudder failed.

The Gothenburgers’ plan was to sail to Florida, where the ship would be prepared for the long voyage across the Atlantic. But in the middle of the Caribbean Sea, the rudder failed.

– We sent out a distress signal and found out that the Nicaraguan Coast Guard would come to rescue us within twelve hours, says Moritz Anderson.

However, a fishing boat appeared in front of the Coast Guard.

– It was lucky, because they were real sailors anyway. They started to tow us. When they were about to pick up the cans, they would occasionally stop and let us go.

‘The whole ship was destroyed’

Twelve nautical miles from shore, the fishermen released the Swede’s boat and the Coast Guard took over.

– They more or less wrecked the whole ship: pulpit, push pit, (railings at the bow and stern, ed. note), solar panels, forestay (cables between the mast and the bow, ed. note) .. they don’t know their job. Those on these ships are conscripts, or whatever you want to call them, they take kpists and everything they have.

Moritz Anderson said it was important that the Coast Guard commander get credit for the rescue operation.

He said the Swedes were directed to take part in a film made by the captain. The scene where they disembark and board a Coast Guard vessel had to be reshot to look good.

– Then they conducted an interview and wanted us to tell them that it was they who came to rescue us, says Moritz Andersen.

No entry allowed

They were not allowed to go ashore with the boat and are now moored with ropes to another boat a nautical mile from the port town of Puerto Cabezas.

– Finally I said: We have to be allowed to go shopping. Water, food, Pilsner beer – you know, that kind of stuff. Moritz Anderson said that in order for the satellite to work, we have to run the engine because it consumes so much energy, so we are running out of diesel.

According to him, the authorities believed that the Swedes’ documents were incomplete and therefore did not allow them to enter the country.

– But we were allowed to go in and shop with the guards. A guy in civilian clothes came up. We never understood why.

Feel the devastation of a hurricane

They also found a welder to make them an emergency rudder.

– So if everything goes well we’ll leave on Thursday. We want to get out of here. It’s dangerous here, says Mauritz Andersen.

Further north, Hurricane Beryl was raging, with tremors also being felt along the coast of Nicaragua.

– The hurricane pushes some wind in front of it. Now there are two-meter waves. It’s really unpleasant. There’s no panic, but we are rolling here with our boat. We are afraid that the rope will break. Are they coming after us?

Atlantic cruise cancellations

There will be no Atlantic sailing this year. They will sail to Roatán, Honduras, where the ship will stop. Then they return home to Sweden.

– It’s a little late now. Hurricane season is going on. We want to go home. Mikael has been here for four months, and I’ve been here for three. We have families and jobs waiting for us, and everyone is worried.

But the 68-year-old is about to embark on a new adventure at sea.

– Sailing is my biggest interest. I get offers all the time.

Are you still healthy and strong?

– Right, right. When I stop sailing, you’ll know I’ll be gone soon.