25 years later: Scandinavian Star gets its memorial

Frederikshavn finally gives green light

Next Tuesday it will have been 25 years ago that 159 people lost their lives in a blaze aboard the Scandinavian Star ferry as it made its way from Oslo to Frederikshavn. Now, the tragedy will finally get its own memorial.

The tragedy’s Danish support organisation Scandinavian Stars Danske Støtteforening and Frederikshavn Municipality have agreed that a granite rock fitted with a plate will be erected in the harbour in Frederikshavn this autumn.

“It’s amazing news and it’s been worth waiting the 25 years,” Mike Axdal, the head of Scandinavian Stars Danske Støtteforening, told DR Nyheder. “Also in terms of marking April 7. Now we have an agreement in place and we are very positive about that.”

READ MORE: New hearing hopes to finally solve Scandinavian Star mystery

Popular location
The monument will be erected on the Paradiskajen docks near where the Læsø and Stena ferries dock. It is expected that the memorial will be seen by many people because of its location near the popular Valutaslagen walkway.

Axdal contended that the long wait for the memorial is down to misunderstandings and poor communication between the support organisation and the municipality. A face-to-face meeting in March helped seal the deal.

Memorials of the tragedy have already been erected in Oslo and Lysekill in Sweden.




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