On 17th February, the container ship Godafoss ran aground at the mouth of the Oslo Fjord losing approximately 500t of fuel oil, which oiled shorelines on both Norwegian and Swedish coasts. Sea Alarm assisted Friends of the Earth (FOE) Norway in a limited response, enlisting experienced responders from ProBird Germany to help set up temporary facilities and assist with oiled bird cleaning and rehabilitation.
Although several hundred birds were reported oiled along the Norwegian coast, a large rescue effort was not attempted as extreme cold and ice made rescue activities dangerous for capture personnel and survival rates were likely to be low for any animals not captured quickly. Efforts were further complicated by a lack of small boats capable of operating at low temperatures for approaching nearshore areas, so authorities elected to euthanise any oiled birds found.
FOE Norway was able to get permission to rescue and clean oiled swans as they are more easily captured and tend to be less fragile during the rehabilitation process. ProBird personnel remained for a week after no further swans were brought in. Treated birds were released later.