While police say no one is under suspicion of criminal activity in the case of a young Icelandic woman who has been missing since last Saturday, they do want to speak with the captain of a Greenlandic ship which was in the area where Birna Brjánsdóttir (seen above) may have been on the night of her disappearance.
Stundin reports that the trawler Polar Nanoq is currently on its way back to Iceland, and the captain, Julian Nolsø, was reportedly “shocked” by the news of the disappearance, and is ready to fully cooperate with Icelandic authorities.
Police are interested in speaking with the captain and crew on account of the fact that, according to sources close to Vísir, crew members of the ship in question rented a red Kia Rio on the weekend of her disappearance, and the ship was docked in Hafnarfjörður during this time. As reported, surveillance footage taken on Laugarvegur on the night of the disappearance shows a red Kia Rio traveling went on Laugavegur at about the same time and place that Birna disappeared.
Her phone continued to produce a signal until at about 5:50 in Hafnarfjörður, near the area of the fire station. Given the distance covered in this short amount of time, it is possible she went to Hafnarfjörður by car. Rescue workers and police extended their search to Hafnarfjörður, and RÚV reports that two black Dr. Martens boots – the same kind Birna was wearing on the night she disappeared – were found near the harbour. However, there is as yet no definitive proof that these are Birna’s boots, and police say they are working “full power” to get to the bottom of this.
While all of this is circumstantial, Icelandic authorities are nonetheless keen to speak the crew of Polar Nanoq. Detective Grímur Grímsson told reporters that while police cannot comment in detail on this investigation, they can confirm that no one is yet suspected of any criminal activity in connection with this case, and no one has yet been questioned or arrested. As it stands now, Vísir reports that the area in question in Hafnarfjörður has been thoroughly searched, and no further investigations will be conducted of the area unless new leads arise.
As reported, police have been engaged in an extensive search for Birna, who was last seen early Saturday morning in downtown Reykjavík. Capital area police have now released surveillance camera footage which shows her walking east on Laugavegur at about 5:25 Saturday morning. After scanning footage from several cameras along Laugavegur, it appears as though Birna walked no further than Laugavegur 31.
Birna is 20 years old, 170cm tall and weighs about 70 kilos, with red hair. She was last seen wearing black jeans, a light-grey sweater, a black fleece hoodie and black Dr. Marten boots. If you have seen Birna, or have any information that could lead to her whereabouts, police implore you to call 444-1109 immediately.
Buy subscriptions, t-shirts and more from our shop right here!
