OSLO, March 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) – Rescuers on Sunday airlifted
more than 1,300 passengers and crew off a cruise ship after it got into
difficulty in rough seas off the Norwegian coast.
The Viking Sky lost power and started drifting mid-afternoon Saturday in
perilous waters two kilometres off More og Romsdal, prompting the captain to send out a distress call.
At that stage, the authorities decided to launch a helicopter airlift in
very difficult conditions rather than run the risk of leaving people on
board.
“We would rather have the passengers on land rather than on board the
ship,” police chief Tor Andre Franck said.
By early Sunday, the crew had managed to restart three of its four
engines.
The vessel was making slow headway at two to three knots off the
dangerous, rocky coast and a tug would help it towards the port of Molde,
about 500 kilometres northwest of Oslo, officials said.
The Viking Sky sent out the distress signal due to “engine problems in bad
weather”, southern Norway’s rescue centre said earlier on Twitter.
The ship was travelling south en route from Tromso to Stavanger when it
got into trouble in an area that has claimed many vessels.
“It is dangerous to encounter engine problems in these waters, which hide
numerous reefs,” said Tor Andre Franck, the head of the police operations.
A reception centre has been set up in a gym on shore to accommodate the
evacuees, many of whom are from the US and Britain.
Police said 17 people had been taken to hospital.
The area where the ship got into problems, known as Hustadvika, is
notoriously difficult to navigate.
The shallow, 10 nautical mile section of coastline is known for its many
small islands and reefs.
Operated by the Norwegian firm Viking Ocean Cruisers, the Viking Sky is a
modern cruise ship launched in 2017 with a capacity of 930 passengers plus
crew.
In addition to US and British nationals, there were also passengers from
14 other countries on board, Fjeld said. — NNN-AGENCIES