Iceland on tenterhooks in search for missing young woman
- 7 years ago
REYKJAVIK, ICELAND — Iceland has been gripped by the disappearance of a young woman — an extremely rare occurrence in a country with a population of just 320,000.
Three members of a Greenlandic fishing trawler crew have been arrested in connection with Birna Brjansdottir’s disappearance, Iceland Monitor reported.
Members of the public and more than 130 rescue workers joined the Icelandic police in a huge search after Brjansdottir went missing on Jan. 14.
The young woman was last seen by witnesses at around 4 a.m. at a bar in Reykjavik. CCTV cameras filmed her last known movements as she walked away from the downtown area at 5:25 a.m. Nearby, a red Kia car was also spotted by security cameras at the same time.
Brjansdottir’s cell phone was manually switched off about 30 minutes later, near Hafnarfjordur Harbor, some 10 kilometers south of the spot where she was last seen.
Considering the distance traveled in such a short period of time, police believe the missing woman was driven in a vehicle.
Soon after Brjansdottir’s phone was turned off, the red Kia was seen on CCTV at Hafnarfjordur Harbor. Police traced the car as a rental vehicle, which was hired by crew members of a trawler from Greenland docked at the harbor.
Brjansdottir’s Dr Marten’s boots were later found near the harbor.
After the trawler departed, the Danish coast guard intercepted the boat and turned it back to Iceland. Icelandic police then flew over by helicopter to inspect the vessel.
Two members of the trawler crew were arrested aboard the ship. A third crew member was later arrested and all three were being questioned by police.
Police do not believe Brjansdottir boarded the ship.
Divers searched the harbor for clues but there has still been no sign of Brjansdottir.
Three members of a Greenlandic fishing trawler crew have been arrested in connection with Birna Brjansdottir’s disappearance, Iceland Monitor reported.
Members of the public and more than 130 rescue workers joined the Icelandic police in a huge search after Brjansdottir went missing on Jan. 14.
The young woman was last seen by witnesses at around 4 a.m. at a bar in Reykjavik. CCTV cameras filmed her last known movements as she walked away from the downtown area at 5:25 a.m. Nearby, a red Kia car was also spotted by security cameras at the same time.
Brjansdottir’s cell phone was manually switched off about 30 minutes later, near Hafnarfjordur Harbor, some 10 kilometers south of the spot where she was last seen.
Considering the distance traveled in such a short period of time, police believe the missing woman was driven in a vehicle.
Soon after Brjansdottir’s phone was turned off, the red Kia was seen on CCTV at Hafnarfjordur Harbor. Police traced the car as a rental vehicle, which was hired by crew members of a trawler from Greenland docked at the harbor.
Brjansdottir’s Dr Marten’s boots were later found near the harbor.
After the trawler departed, the Danish coast guard intercepted the boat and turned it back to Iceland. Icelandic police then flew over by helicopter to inspect the vessel.
Two members of the trawler crew were arrested aboard the ship. A third crew member was later arrested and all three were being questioned by police.
Police do not believe Brjansdottir boarded the ship.
Divers searched the harbor for clues but there has still been no sign of Brjansdottir.