Kathrine Frich
Neighbours and emergency services swarmed the scene as news spread.
Neighbours and emergency services swarmed the scene as news spread.
A very rude awakening in Norway
Imagine waking up to find a 135-metre container ship parked just outside your window.
That was the reality for Johan Helberg, a Norwegian man living near Trondheimsfjorden, who was jolted into an extraordinary Thursday morning surprise.
Grounded just metres from his front door
The vessel ran aground just a few metres from Helberg’s house. Amazingly, he didn’t even hear it happen.
The ship came to a near-silent halt in shallow water, slowed by the seabed. He only learned about the enormous visitor when a neighbour knocked on his door.
“It almost hit the house,” says Helberg
Helberg later told the press how fortunate he felt. Had the ship drifted just slightly further, it would have ploughed directly into his home.
“We were very lucky,” he said. “It wasn’t many metres away.”
Locals rushed to the scene
Thankfully, there was minimal property damage, a heating pipe was reportedly affected, but no injuries occurred.
The scene quickly turned into a local spectacle.
A crew of 16 unharmed
According to the Norwegian Joint Rescue Coordination Centre, all 16 crew members aboard the ship were unharmed.
The vessel, named NCL Salten, sails under the Cypriot flag and is owned by the shipping company NCL.
No oil spill, but a big leak up front
While the ship’s bow suffered some damage and developed leaks, authorities confirmed there were no signs of fuel or oil pollution in the fjord. The captain is awaiting high tide to attempt refloating the ship.
Salvage operation now underway
A full salvage operation is being coordinated by Norway’s Coastal Administration and the ship’s owners.
Several tugboats have arrived to assist, and assessments are ongoing to determine how and when to move the vessel safely.
Investigation to follow
Bente Hetland, CEO of NCL, confirmed that a formal investigation will take place to determine how the incident occurred.
“Fortunately, everything went well this time,” she said, noting that safety and environmental concerns come first.