Castaway 'was thrown overboard'

The man was picked up by chance in international waters

A man found floating on a raft between Denmark and Norway says he was thrown overboard from a ship and was adrift for two or three days.

He was picked up by a Norwegian gas tanker on Friday morning in the international waters of the Skagerrak.

The man, who spoke English, was said to be lightly clothed, cold and exhausted.

The man's identity and nationality were unknown. He was due to be interviewed by authorities in Sweden - the tanker's next port of call - later on Friday.

Swedish border authorities said they would be investigating whether any crime had taken place.

"There are grounds to suspect human smuggling, which in turn can lead to other crimes," Gerd Brantlid of the border police told the Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter.

"This man's life has obviously been in danger."

According to one unconfirmed report, the man said he was from California and had been thrown off a British ship.

However this was described as "pure speculation" by Bergesen, the Norwegian shipping company that owns the Berge Odin, the ship that discovered the castaway.

He was found sitting on a tiny raft made from four oil barrels and some planks.

Rescue officials said he was lucky to be alive, as temperatures often sink below zero at this time of year and the man was not wearing warm clothes.