On Wednesday, Hamar-Arbeiderblad reported that Justice Minister Emilie Enger Mehl (Sp) has broken Norwegian law by standing on a paddle board without a life jacket. However, Mehl states that the photo was taken while she was on holiday in Italy, while the Norwegian Maritime Directorate points out that the vest mandate does not apply to swimming close to land.
“The photo was taken on holiday in Italy where I was swimming and having a good time with some friends. I always follow local instructions when I’m on holiday or travelling,” Mehl says in writing to Dagbladet and continues:
“Otherwise, I would like to wish everyone a continued good and safe summer, both on land and in water.”
Like HA, Dagbladet asked Mehl to what extent she is concerned with leading as a good role model, something she has not answered.
– No problem
Dagbladet is not aware of the rules that apply to the use of a life jacket when using a paddle board in Italy. The Norwegian Maritime Directorate does not have such an overview either.
SP leader and Finance Minister Trygve Slagsvold Vedum tells HA that he does not see it as an issue that Mehl has been standing on a paddle board during the holiday.
“I don’t see Emilie or others using a paddleboard on holiday as a problem. They have to deal with the rules that are where they are. Now I’m going to take a bath. Have a good summer!”, he writes to the newspaper.
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Western mandate
Director of Communications Dag Inge Aarhus in the Norwegian Maritime Directorate clarifies to Dagbladet that it is mandatory to wear a life jacket on a paddle board if the paddle board is in motion, but not when it is used for swimming close to land.
– If the board is used for swimming, for example close to land, there will be no requirement to use a life jacket. This also applies to ordinary leisure boats, says Aarhus to Dagbladet and refers to the legal text:
“Everyone who is in recreational boats under eight meters must wear a suitable life jacket or life jacket when the boat is in motion.”
Check out Mehl’s powerful mingling dinner
– In other words, there is no requirement to wear a vest when the boat is not in motion, for example when swimming or when you are lying down and fishing. But we recommend assessing this based on the circumstances. If you swim on land, it is easy to understand that you drop the life jacket, but if you are far out to sea and fishing, wearing the life jacket will increase your safety – even when you are lying still.
Aarhus states that if the boat or board is moving, a vest must be used.
– Paddle boards come under the definition of recreational boat in the Act on the use of life jackets, and then the life jacket must be used when the boat is in motion. In practice, this means that you must wear a vest when you use the board to paddle. This is something that perhaps not everyone has thought about, but if you are out at sea, things can happen quickly and then the vest will be able to save lives.
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Gives fines
The communications director says that he himself has observed that paddleboards are being paddled increasingly further from land, and says that in such situations it is just as important to use a life jacket on a paddleboard as in a boat or kayak.
– Don’t think of this as an order, but something that can actually save your life if something unforeseen happens. The water temperature in Norway is also relatively low, so ending up suddenly in the water can be a risk.
– What consequences will there be for those who break such an order in Norway?
– It is the police who enforce the vesting order and will issue a fine when this is discovered. But as previously mentioned, we hope that people understand that life jackets can save lives, and that one should therefore wear one, says Aarhus.
