The Estonian passenger ferry MS Regina Baltica managed to free itself after running aground off Stockholm on Tuesday evening, but witnesses were concerned about free-flowing alcohol during the incident. Several Norwegians were among the 373 passengers on board the Regina Baltica when it ran aground in the Baltic Sea at 9:40 p.m. on Tuesday in a well-charted stretch of water. No one was injured in the collision. "We noticed that the ship suddenly lurched astern. It went full speed backwards, then there was an intense bang and then the lights went out. We were first told that there were technical problems but after half an hour the loudspeakers announced that we had run aground," Terje Lund told Aftenposten.no. The ferry managed to work itself loose on its own power at around 1 a.m. and an hour later the ship reached Kappelskär, outside of Stockholm, where passengers were given the option of continuing on to Tallinn in Estonia with another ferry or turning back to Stockholm. Norwegian passenger Torje Sulland said that rescue ships followed the ferry throughout and the incident was "never dramatic".
More concern was raised by the ship's decision to offer its inconvenienced passengers free alcohol during the delay, and passengers reported that many abused the situation and some could be seen so drunk they could barely walk.
Passenger Jarle Berg told newspaper VG that several people panicked when they saw the ship had run aground and was personally shocked by alcohol being given away in what was an emergency situation.
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