The classic boat Trio has sunk in Uppsala's Fyrisån despite a recent cleanup by the municipality. The vessel was emptied of hazardous materials before sinking, with no leaks observed so far. The city is investigating the cause and plans to refloat it.
In late February, Uppsala municipality began cleaning the classic boat Trio, which risked sinking with hazardous materials into Fyrisån. The river was frozen at the time, holding the boat in place, and the owner could not perform the cleanup themselves. The work was funded through the city's waste management budget.
"It comes from our waste management budget, and it's much cheaper to do it now than after the damage has occurred," Rafael Waters (S), chair of the street and community environment committee, told SVT at the time.
Despite the effort, the boat sank recently. According to the municipality, they managed to empty it of all hazardous substances beforehand. Foreman Stefan Lassen checked the boat on Wednesday afternoon and found everything calm. "It wasn't the most pleasant feeling when we discovered it this morning," he told SVT.
On Thursday afternoon, the city reported no signs of hazardous substance leaks, and an oil-absorbing boom has been placed around the vessel. The reason for the boat taking on water remains unclear, and an investigation is underway. Efforts to refloat it will begin on Friday.