Ärnfast died in a drowning accident near Bogotá on 11 July 1965, after being swept away by strong currents while on a trip to a mountain village.
Ärnfast was born on 2 June 1908 in Graninge [sv], Västernorrland County, Sweden, the son of August Pettersson, a farmer, and his wife Helga Olsson.
[1] Ärnfast was one of the Swedes who, in 1945, remained in war-torn Berlin alongside envoy Arvid Richert [sv; no; dk; nl] and future ambassador Axel Lewenhaupt.
When the Swedish personnel were forced to leave their post on 22 May, they had spent nearly three weeks helping the few remaining Swedes in the chaotic aftermath of the Battle of Berlin.
For ten days, they endured complete isolation, experiencing relentless Russian artillery fire and continuous air raids.
However, the bombproof bunker provided sufficient protection, and according to Ärnfast, they were never in real distress—supplies were ample, and morale remained high despite the uncertainty and psychological strain.