LAST: At 23.15, the police report that the white powder did not contain anything dangerous.
By then, a total of four people had been exposed, says operations manager Tatjana Knappen in the West police district to NTB.
– There are two people who have been in the room, ie directly exposed, and there are two who have been in connection with this room, she says.
It was at 2.30 pm that the police received a message from the Sotra company in Øygarden municipality about the mail shipment with white powder.
The company is said to have acted quickly and called the police, says Trym Jacobsen, general manager of Hoyland Offshore to NRK.
– We isolated the room and evacuated people, says Jacobsen.
Get in the mail
It was the shipping company Sartor Shipping that received the letter with the powder. Hoyland Offshore is a subsidiary of Sartor Shipping, and operates the ship “Ocean Viking.”
– It is an unpleasant situation for everyone involved. We have taken it in stride so far, and we hope that this will not have any serious consequences, says Jacobsen
Bergensavisen first reported the incident.
The letter was placed in a locked room pending the arrival of the bomb squad from the police.
After examining the drug, they determined just after 11 pm that the drug was harmless.
DRAMATIC: The general manager of Hoyland Offshore hopes the powder is harmless.
Photo: Leif Rune Løland / NRK (archive)
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– Addressed to “Ocean Viking”
According to Jacobsen, the letter was addressed to the cargo ship Ocean Viking. This summer, the ship picked up migrants in the Mediterranean, and is currently operated by the French aid organization SOS Méditerranée.
– It is obvious to link the letter to an operation the ship has had in the Mediterranean, he says.
This summer, the ship left for Sicily after an emergency on board. Then got 180 migrants go ashore.
– There was nothing special about the letter other than that the address was written in poor handwriting, says Jacobsen.
The company has never before received threats, Jacobsen states.
The police on the spot state that it is too early to say what the motive behind the letter is, and will not confirm whether the letter was addressed to the cargo ship.
The police have opened an investigation case, and they will further conduct witness interviews and interrogations of those who have been exposed.
Although the substance is not dangerous, the police state that they are investigating the case further.
Person isolated in hospital
One person was transported to hospital early, says general manager Jacobsen to NRK.
– There are some employees who are exposed to varying degrees, and health personnel concluded with taking one to the hospital for observation and isolation, says Jacobsen.
The person had no symptoms.
– It is very unpleasant that someone resorts to such things, says Jacobsen.
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