The local news site Vísir reports that evidence found in a red Kia Rio rental car, which had been rented by crew members of the Greenlandic trawler Polar Nanoq, points to what is described as a criminal act having been committed. Police believes a 20 year old local woman, Birna Brjánsdóttir, who disappeared on Saturday morning, had been a passenger of the car. Yesterday three sailors from the trawler were arrested and brought in for questioning.
Car the scene of a violent crime
According to the sources of Vísir sailors from the Polar Nanoq had rented the car at noon on Friday, and returned it on Saturday afternoon, shortly before the ship left harbour. The car was the first concrete clue in the case which has gripped the Icelandic nation. Birna was last seen on Saturday morning when she left a downtown bar at 5 AM. Police believes that she entered a car on Laugavegur at 5:25 AM. Surveillance tapes showed a red Kia Rio only seconds after Birna is last seen, driving from the same location.
Police has not confirmed whether this is the same car as can then be seen on security camera footage from the Hafnarfjörður harbour where the Greenlandic trawler was docked, and on footage from a security camera at the parking lot of a nearby golf-club, but circumstantial evidence points to this. The driver of the car is seen behaving suspiciously in this footage. According to the sources of Vísir Police has found evidence inside the car, which was impounded on Tuesday, which points to it having been the scene of a violent crime.
Three sailors arrested, one sentenced to two week detention
Yesterday Police and Police Special Forces boarded the Greenlandic trawler as it was heading back to harbour in Hafnarfjörður. Police arrested three sailors, two at noon and the third at nine yesterday night. The trawler came to harbour at 23:00. Police in Iceland can only hold a suspect for 24 hours without a court order. The local news site Vísir reports that two men who were arrested at noon therefore came before a judge at noon. The first has now been sentenced to a two week detention. The other two men have not yet come before the judge.
Grímur Grímsson, Chief Superintendent with the Metropolitan Police, who is in charge of the investigation, tells Vísir that the men who have been arrested are Greenlandic. The 20 man crew of the trawler is composed of both Greenlanders and Faroese sailors.
Previous Iceland Insider coverage of the case:
Monday:
A large scale search had been underway since Saturday for 20 year old local woman. Police feared foul play.
Read more: Young local woman missing since Saturday: Have you seen her?
Tuesday
Police relased CCTV footage of Birna walking in downtown Reykjavík on Monday.
Read more: Search for missing young woman: Police releases footage from surveillance cameras
Shoes which match those worn by Birna were found early Tuesday morning in Hafnafjörður, south of Reykjavík. Police does not rule out the shoes were planted at the scene. All available Police and Search and Rescue members are searching in and around Hafnafjörður harbour.
Read more: Police does not rule out that pair of shoes believed to belong to missing woman were planted
Tuesday afternoon Police found what it believes is the red Kia Rio seen in security camera footage just seconds before she was last spotted on CCTV footage in down town Reykjavík. The car was likely driven by foreign nationals. The driver is seen behaving suspiciously shortly after Birna's cellphone is turned off at 5:50 AM.
Read more: Missing woman: Car seen in surveillance tapes likely found, driver seen behaving strangely
The car was linked to crew members of Greenlandic trawler which had been docked in Hafnarfjörður from Wednesday to Satuday. the trawler had sailed out and was fishing off the east coast of Greenland.
Wednesday:
Security camera footage from Hafnarfjörður harbour shows crew members exiting the red Kia Rio, behaving suspiciously. The trawler was returned to harbour in Reykjavík.
Read more: Missing girl: Disturbing clues, no arrests, but Greenlandic trawler returned to harbour in Iceland
The case has gripped the Icelandic nation. Police warns people to avoid of hysteria.
Read more: Airing of British TV series The Missing postponed while search continues for missing girl
Police officers and members of the Police Special Forces were flown out to the Danish Coast Guard vessel HDMS Triton which was on intercept course with the Polar Nanoq.
Read more: Missing girl: Members of the Police Special Forces on their way to Greenlandic trawler
Police arrested two men on board the trawler.
Read more: Two arrested on-board Greenlandic trawler in connection to missing girl
Thursday
Read more: Video: Third sailor on Greenlandic trawler arrested and taken for questioning over missing girl
The local news site Vísir reports that evidence found in a red Kia Rio rental car, which had been rented by crew members of the Greenlandic trawler Polar Nanoq, points to what is described as a criminal act having been committed. Police believes a 20 year old local woman, Birna Brjánsdóttir, who disappeared on Saturday morning, had been a passenger of the car. Yesterday three sailors from the trawler were arrested and brought in for questioning.
Car the scene of a violent crime
According to the sources of Vísir sailors from the Polar Nanoq had rented the car at noon on Friday, and returned it on Saturday afternoon, shortly before the ship left harbour. The car was the first concrete clue in the case which has gripped the Icelandic nation. Birna was last seen on Saturday morning when she left a downtown bar at 5 AM. Police believes that she entered a car on Laugavegur at 5:25 AM. Surveillance tapes showed a red Kia Rio only seconds after Birna is last seen, driving from the same location.
Police has not confirmed whether this is the same car as can then be seen on security camera footage from the Hafnarfjörður harbour where the Greenlandic trawler was docked, and on footage from a security camera at the parking lot of a nearby golf-club, but circumstantial evidence points to this. The driver of the car is seen behaving suspiciously in this footage. According to the sources of Vísir Police has found evidence inside the car, which was impounded on Tuesday, which points to it having been the scene of a violent crime.
Three sailors arrested, one sentenced to two week detention
Yesterday Police and Police Special Forces boarded the Greenlandic trawler as it was heading back to harbour in Hafnarfjörður. Police arrested three sailors, two at noon and the third at nine yesterday night. The trawler came to harbour at 23:00. Police in Iceland can only hold a suspect for 24 hours without a court order. The local news site Vísir reports that two men who were arrested at noon therefore came before a judge at noon. The first has now been sentenced to a two week detention. The other two men have not yet come before the judge.
Grímur Grímsson, Chief Superintendent with the Metropolitan Police, who is in charge of the investigation, tells Vísir that the men who have been arrested are Greenlandic. The 20 man crew of the trawler is composed of both Greenlanders and Faroese sailors.
Previous Iceland Insider coverage of the case:
Monday:
A large scale search had been underway since Saturday for 20 year old local woman. Police feared foul play.
Read more: Young local woman missing since Saturday: Have you seen her?
Tuesday
Police relased CCTV footage of Birna walking in downtown Reykjavík on Monday.
Read more: Search for missing young woman: Police releases footage from surveillance cameras
Shoes which match those worn by Birna were found early Tuesday morning in Hafnafjörður, south of Reykjavík. Police does not rule out the shoes were planted at the scene. All available Police and Search and Rescue members are searching in and around Hafnafjörður harbour.
Read more: Police does not rule out that pair of shoes believed to belong to missing woman were planted
Tuesday afternoon Police found what it believes is the red Kia Rio seen in security camera footage just seconds before she was last spotted on CCTV footage in down town Reykjavík. The car was likely driven by foreign nationals. The driver is seen behaving suspiciously shortly after Birna's cellphone is turned off at 5:50 AM.
Read more: Missing woman: Car seen in surveillance tapes likely found, driver seen behaving strangely
The car was linked to crew members of Greenlandic trawler which had been docked in Hafnarfjörður from Wednesday to Satuday. the trawler had sailed out and was fishing off the east coast of Greenland.
Wednesday:
Security camera footage from Hafnarfjörður harbour shows crew members exiting the red Kia Rio, behaving suspiciously. The trawler was returned to harbour in Reykjavík.
Read more: Missing girl: Disturbing clues, no arrests, but Greenlandic trawler returned to harbour in Iceland
The case has gripped the Icelandic nation. Police warns people to avoid of hysteria.
Read more: Airing of British TV series The Missing postponed while search continues for missing girl
Police officers and members of the Police Special Forces were flown out to the Danish Coast Guard vessel HDMS Triton which was on intercept course with the Polar Nanoq.
Read more: Missing girl: Members of the Police Special Forces on their way to Greenlandic trawler
Police arrested two men on board the trawler.
Read more: Two arrested on-board Greenlandic trawler in connection to missing girl
Thursday
Read more: Video: Third sailor on Greenlandic trawler arrested and taken for questioning over missing girl
