Police Investigate Canister Explosion at Jarlsberg Airport in Tønsberg

The alarm was raised shortly after 2:00 a.m. when local residents contacted authorities to report a blast. Upon arrival, police found plastic debris scattered across the site. Operations leader Eskil Hagen Olsen noted in the police log that there was no active fire at the scene during the initial response.

Plastic Debris and the Likely Cause at Jarlsberg

Initial assessments by the police suggest the incident was not a catastrophic aviation failure. This finding aligns with the observation of plastic fragments left on the runway, rather than the wreckage of a plane.

Investigation Into Possible Sabotage of the Vessel «Senator»

In a separate matter, the vessel «Senator» was apprehended by the Coast Guard on January 16, suspected of illegal snow crab fishing within the fisheries protection zone outside Svalbard. During the encounter, the crew of «Senator» refused orders to retrieve the 2,600 traps they had deployed, which remain on the ocean floor. An agreement was reached where the boat received a dispensation from port arrest to leave port during the following week to retrieve the traps under Coast Guard escort before returning to Finnmark.

The vessel remained in Kirkenes after it was discovered during that week that a circuit board failure had rendered the main engine non-functional. A repairman sent aboard the boat informed police that the fault appeared to be sabotage. Shortly after this discovery, the boat’s rudder was also destroyed.

Investigation leader Morten Daae confirmed that police have conducted multiple examinations on board the «Senator». Daae stated, We have had people on board the boat to investigate what has happened, and shall consider whether we shall initiate an investigation. When asked about the possible motive for sabotage, Daae replied, I will not comment on that.

Peteris Pildegovics of SIA North Star, the ship’s owner, stated that the owner has not been informed by the Finnmark police district that investigations on board the boat have taken place. Pildegovics noted, It would have been nice if the police would inform us if they have started investigations into sabotage on board the boat. He further stated that the vessel is unable to leave Kirkenes because they have been deprived of the ship’s documents and continue to experience engine problems, making it unsafe to depart. Pildegovics added, I recommend the police to contact us if there is anything. That they speak to the media about an investigation without having informed us looks very strange.

Report of Possible Hand Grenade on Os

Police also investigated the discovery of a possible hand grenade on Os. The object was found by an individual named Chanett outside her house. In a report published on July 17, 2024, the find was described as a situation where the individual stated she was “bomb-sure” that she would not sleep well.