The pair, owners of the Stedsans eco-retreat in southern Sweden, reportedly disappeared overnight, leaving behind animals and a huge environmental crisis. A Danish couple, Flemming Hansen and Mette Helbaek, who previously owned a successful green resort in Sweden, have been discovered living in Guatemala after reportedly fleeing the nation and leaving 158 barrels of human waste behind.
The duo, famous for their eco-friendly retreat, Stedsans in Halland, southern Sweden, are said to have disappeared without notice, leaving animals behind and having caused a huge environmental risk. Their employees had stated that several animals, such as ducks, perished due to the couple leaving them exposed at night and that other animals were left behind.
Daniel Helsing, a municipal official in Hylte, reported to the Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter, according to The Guardian, “Voilà. More than 150 barrels of human shit.” Local authorities referred to it as an “environmental crime”.”.
Stedsans, a 16-cabin woods retreat, was previously praised by social media users and critics as a high-end nature escape. The pair, who had run a favourite Copenhagen rooftop restaurant, had stated that they relocated to Sweden in 2016 after experiencing “the call of the wild”.
But then Stedsans was declared bankrupt in March. The couple are said to have owed millions to the Danish tax authorities before relocating to Sweden and then accumulated around 6 million SEK (approximately £470,000) worth of debt to Swedish tax authorities. They have since opened a second hotel in Guatemala.
On their website, the couple wrote that they came a long way with Stedsans but also realized that being soul-led entrepreneurs on a mission in one of the world’s highest-taxed countries with relentless bureaucracy was a task that was impossible to accomplish.
When you read this, we have likely been declared bankrupt by the Swedish tax authorities. All we ever wanted was to be a part of making the world a more beautiful place,” they said. The authorities are now investigating the legal and environmental violations related to the sudden disappearance of the couple.
