A dramatic incident unfolded in Norway when a massive container ship ran aground and crashed into the front garden of a residential home. The 135m-ship, named NCL Salten, missed Johan Helberg’s house by mere meters at around 05:00 local time on Thursday. Mr. Helberg was alerted to the commotion by his panicked neighbor, Jostein Jorgensen, who had watched the ship heading straight for shore in Byneset, near Trondheim.
“I went to the window and was quite astonished to see a big ship,” Mr. Helberg told the Guardian. “I had to bend my neck to see the top of it. It was so unreal.” He added to the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation, “Five meters further south and it would have entered the bedroom. I didn’t hear anything.”
Mr. Jorgensen described the moment he realized the ship was heading towards land. “I was sure that he was already outside, but no, there was no sign of life. I rang the doorbell many times and nothing,” he said. “And it was only when I called him on the phone that I managed to contact him.”
The Cypriot-flagged cargo ship had 16 people on board and was traveling through the Trondheim Fjord when it went off course. Fortunately, no one was injured in the incident. The cause of the crash is currently unknown, and Norwegian police are investigating. Bente Hetland, managing director of NCL, which chartered the ship, stated, “It’s a serious incident, and we are grateful that nobody was injured. At present time, we do not know what caused the incident and are awaiting the conclusion of the ongoing investigation by the relevant authorities.”
Mr. Helberg humorously remarked, “It’s a very bulky new neighbor but it will soon go away.” The ship had previously run aground in 2023 but managed to get free under its own power. The incident has raised questions about maritime safety and the potential consequences of such accidents.