The new complex gravitational lens system HE 0230-2130

We report the discovery of the new gravitational lens system HE 0230-2130, a QSO at redshift z = 2.162 consisting of at least five distinct components . Three of these are clearly lensed images of the QSO, one is most likely t he lensing galaxy, while for the fifth component the identity is unclear: I t could be a fourth QSO image (if so, then highly reddened), or another int ervening galaxy, or a superposition of the two. Differential reddening seem s to be important also for the first three QSO images. The surface density of faint galaxies near the QSO appears to be enhanced by a factor of greate r than or similar to 2, indicating the presence of a distant cluster close to the line of sight.