Erhvervsminister Morten Bødskov (Social Democrats) has announced that he will seek guidance from the Danish Attorney General following a new report concerning the tragic fire on the ferry “Scandinavian Star” in 1990. The political task force responsible for the report has recently published its findings after nearly three years of work. According to the report, a port state control by the Danish Maritime Authority (Søfartsstyrelsen) could have improved the chances of survival for passengers—159 people lost their lives in the incident.

During a hearing at the Danish Parliament (Christiansborg), Bødskov pointed out that there are still ongoing legal cases regarding the Maritime Authority’s potential liability, making it necessary to obtain a legal assessment of how the new report affects these cases. Despite previous rejections of compensation claims from a group of survivors and victims’ families, they have chosen to file a lawsuit against the Maritime Authority. The state will cover the legal costs, as the 45 claimants have been granted legal aid.

The group is demanding compensation of 450,000 Danish kroner (approximately $64,000) per person. Lawyer Mads Pramming, who represents the affected individuals, stated that the new report will have a significant impact on the lawsuit. The report establishes that the Maritime Authority should have inspected the ship, which strengthens the plaintiffs’ case.

According to Bødskov, the Ministry of Business must thoroughly consider the content of the report, which they are currently working on intensively. The Ministry is also investigating, together with the Ministry of Justice, important questions regarding the authority’s impartiality raised by the report. Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard (Social Democrats) noted that the task force’s assessments could have substantial consequences for the accountability of authorities. After the hearing, Bødskov declined to respond to press questions and left the venue promptly.