On Thursday morning, a retiree's tranquil life was upended when a cargo ship, the NCL Salten, unexpectedly crashed into his backyard in Byneset, a district of Trondheim, Norway. Johan Helberg, who lives just a few yards from the shore, was soundly asleep when a neighbor knocked urgently at his door around 5 a.m. to alert him to the unusual sight outside.
"I heard a dinging sound, which I wondered might be my doorbell," Mr. Helberg recounted. "Who in the world rings the doorbell at 5:45 in the morning? I looked out the window, and he said: ‘Haven’t you seen the ship?’" To his astonishment, Mr. Helberg saw the enormous vessel lodged into the ground, missing his bedroom by merely five to six yards.
Reflecting on the close call, Helberg noted that a slightly different trajectory could have seen the ship colliding with his home. “It’s completely surreal,” he stated. While he managed to remain calm during the ordeal, he recognized that his neighbor was "in shock all day" after witnessing the ship's unexpected landing.
Social media erupted with images and clips of the colossal vessel wedged against the peaceful shores of the fjord, leaving many Norwegians astonished. The incident is a vivid reminder of how swiftly and unpredictably life can change, turning a picturesque morning into a bewildering scene of maritime chaos.
