50 ships frozen in pack ice in the Baltic Sea

STOCKHOLM, Sweden - UPDATED to increase the number of ships stuck to 50! - MJ

How cold is it in Sweden? Cold enough to freeze passenger ferries firmly in ice within minutes after they leave port!

As of Friday, 50 shipping vessels, including a passenger ferry carrying more than 1,000 people, have become stuck in the ice on the Baltic Sea off the coast of Sweden.  Passengers aboard several ferries had to wait for hours waiting for ice breakers to set them free.

According to the Swedish Maritime Association, the Baltic Sea is experiencing its iciest conditions since 1996. The recent extreme cold and strong northerly winds has forced the ice in towards the Swedish Baltic Sea coast.

According to reports, as soon as the ice breaker would crack through the ice, it would begin to freeze up again. Most ferry trips have been canceled for the rest of the week because of the harsh conditions.