The Merchant Shipping Directorate of the Malta Maritime Authority is investigating the grounding of the Malta-registered Nijord which occurred off Latvia’s north-western coast on Sunday. The Maltese authorities are cooperating with the Latvian Authorities in the investigation of this accident.

Latvia 's naval coast guard service head Hermanis Cernovs said that five of the nine crewmembers on the ship were under the influence, including the captain, when the ship ran aground.

According to The Baltic Times, Mr. Cernovs told LNT television “The weather conditions were good at the time, therefore the main reason of the accident is negligence of the crew."

The small cargo ship was on its way from France to Latvia's capital city Riga, when at around 2200CET, it ran aground on a sand bank. The vessel has been refloated and is expected to proceed to Riga for Drydock inspection.

There were no injuries among the nine crew members of Latvian and Russian nationality.   No pollution was caused by the accident.

Before the accident the crew of the ship had been warned to change course, but did not react to warnings and radio messages, said The Baltic Times. A tug-boat was sent to the place of the accident to tow the ship away on Monday.