A significant maritime mishap unfolded in Norway as a cargo ship, the NCL Salten, veered off course and crashed into a local resident's garden in Byneset, near Trondheim. The watch officer, a Ukrainian national in his thirties, told police he was asleep at the time, leading to charges of negligent navigation. Authorities are probing whether the crew complied with working and rest hour regulations.
The 135-meter (443-foot) vessel, traveling south-west through the Trondheim Fjord with 16 people onboard, narrowly missed a nearby house, prompting ongoing attempts to refloat the ship that have yet to succeed. Johan Helberg, the homeowner, recounted the surreal experience of awakely witnessing the cargo ship in his front garden, noting the alarming proximity to his bedroom.
"Five metres further south and it would have entered the bedroom," Helberg remarked to the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation, indicating the potential severity of the incident. Interestingly, this ship had a prior grounding earlier in 2023 but had been able to liberate itself. Investigations continue as authorities work to understand the full circumstances surrounding this unusual event.
