Container Ship Strands in Norwegian Yard
A man from Norway recounted the surreal moment he woke up to find a massive 135-meter container ship had run aground in his front yard.
The NCL Salten was making its way to Oakanger in western Norway when it ran aground in the Trondheimfjord around 5 a.m. on Thursday.
A neighbor witnessed the ship traveling at about 16 knots, roughly 30 km/h, heading straight for Johann Helberg’s garden, with not many homes left in its path.
Helberg, who resides in Byneset near Trondheim, was jolted awake by his neighbor ringing the doorbell. When he looked out, he was stunned to see the bow of the ship.
“I was really shocked to see such a big boat when I peered out the window,” Helberg said. “I had to crane my neck to see the top of it. It felt very unreal.”
At the time, there were 16 crew members on the Cyprus-registered ship, including Norwegians, Lithuanians, Ukrainians, and Russians. Thankfully, no injuries or oil spills were reported. Authorities are currently investigating the incident and trying to determine who may be responsible.
Helberg mentioned, “The ship usually turns left or right into the fjord, but this time it went straight. It was really close to the house.” He has lived in his home for 25 years.
Christian Stokke, a spokesperson for the Trøndelag Police District, commented that police are interviewing the crew and exploring various theories behind the incident, including technical malfunctions and human error.
The shipping company, Hokusai Container Line (NCL), mentioned that one seafarer has been labeled a suspect, but emphasized that this is standard procedure in such cases.
Bente Hetland, NCL’s chief executive, stated, “There’s no reason to believe this was intentional. No incident of this kind should happen, and we are currently investigating the cause. Today, we’re relieved that there were no injuries, and our focus is on the well-being of the individuals and crew involved.”
The ship remained stranded on Thursday after an attempted removal failed. A new effort was planned for later in the evening during high tide.
