More Danes choosing to have their ashes scattered at sea

Commemorative ceremonies a nice little side business for Møn ferry

More and more Danes are choosing to have their final remains scattered at sea.

Old sailors who are part of the association ‘Færgen Møns Venner’, which maintains and sails the 94-year-old ferry ‘Møn’ between Stege on Møn and Kalvehave in south Zealand have developed a small business sailing Danes who wish a seafaring farewell to their loved one.

It started with the wife of one of the members wanting to have her ashes scattered at sea when she died. Since then, interest has increased.

“In the beginning, we didn’t know if we could handle scattering ashes,” Jesper Bisgaard, a seasoned sailor with ‘Færgen Møns Venner’, told DR Nyheder.

“But we developed a written procedure allowing us to do it with great respect for the deceased and their relatives.”

READ MORE: Vast majority of Danes want to be cremated

Even a treasure map
Following the ceremony, the deceased’s relatives receive a small card with a drawing of the ferry, showing the precise GPS location where the ashes were scattered, so they can revisit the place if they so desire.

Mogens Balling, executive director of funeral group Begravelse Danmark, said that about 5,000 people each year choose to have their ashes buried at sea.

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