On Thursday morning, a large container ship, the NCL Salten, narrowly missed a house before crashing into the garden of a local resident in Byneset, central Norway. The responsible watch officer, a Ukrainian man in his thirties, has acknowledged that he fell asleep during his watch, a detail he disclosed during police interrogation. Consequently, he has been charged with negligent navigation, while law enforcement is probing whether the crew complied with working and rest hour regulations aboard the vessel, flagged in Cyprus.
The 135-meter ship was carrying 16 crew members and was navigating the Trondheim Fjord towards Orkanger when it unexpectedly deviated from its course, coming alarmingly close to residential homes. Despite attempts to refloat the vessel, efforts have not succeeded as of yet. The logistics company NCL, which chartered the ship, described the event as "serious" but expressed relief that no injuries occurred.
Witness accounts reveal the shock of the local community at the ship's unexpected appearance in the garden. Johan Helberg, the homeowner, recounted his disbelief upon seeing the ship very close to his house. One neighbor described the terrifying moment when the ship approached, expressing confusion and fear at the surreal situation during the early morning hours.
This incident is not the first for the NCL Salten, as reports indicate that it had previously experienced grounding in 2023 but managed to recover without significant intervention. The ongoing salvage operation remains a top priority for the charter company, which is collaborating with authorities on the incident's investigation.
The 135-meter ship was carrying 16 crew members and was navigating the Trondheim Fjord towards Orkanger when it unexpectedly deviated from its course, coming alarmingly close to residential homes. Despite attempts to refloat the vessel, efforts have not succeeded as of yet. The logistics company NCL, which chartered the ship, described the event as "serious" but expressed relief that no injuries occurred.
Witness accounts reveal the shock of the local community at the ship's unexpected appearance in the garden. Johan Helberg, the homeowner, recounted his disbelief upon seeing the ship very close to his house. One neighbor described the terrifying moment when the ship approached, expressing confusion and fear at the surreal situation during the early morning hours.
This incident is not the first for the NCL Salten, as reports indicate that it had previously experienced grounding in 2023 but managed to recover without significant intervention. The ongoing salvage operation remains a top priority for the charter company, which is collaborating with authorities on the incident's investigation.
