Container ship crashes into Norwegian garden – resident sleeps peacefully!

Container ship crashes into Norwegian garden – resident sleeps peacefully!

An extraordinary incident occurred on Thursday morning in the Trondheimfjord in Norway when the 135 meter long container ship “NCL Salten” unexpectedly crashed into Johan Helberg’s garden. Helberg was in bed at the time and was woken up by his neighbor, Jostein Jörgensen, who heard loud noises at 5:00 a.m. Jörgensen saw the ship entering the property at “full speed” and alerted Helberg, who initially did not respond to the doorbell as he did not like opening the door early in the morning. It was only when the phone rang that he was informed of the incident, which he described as “completely absurd”.

The ship ran aground during its maneuver, just a few meters from Helberg's wooden house. If the ship had hit land five meters further to the right, it would probably have caused significant damage to his house. Fortunately, the house remained undamaged, apart from a damaged heat pump pipe. The container ship continued to become stuck several hours after the incident on Friday, while the crew of 16 members remained uninjured. Bente Hetland, managing director of the shipping company NCL, expressed the desire to clarify the causes of the incident. Photos and videos show the ship barely passing land, a sight that amazed local residents, as Krone reported.

More details about the incident

Norwegian police have launched an investigation into the incident. According to bz-berlin, the Norwegian Maritime Authority (NMA) will be involved in the investigation. This authority inspects both Norwegian and foreign ships in accordance with the Ship Safety and Security Act. After accidents, the NMA usually carries out inspections, which can lead to orders to correct defects. Fines may be imposed and safety notices may be issued as part of these investigations. The Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority (NSIA) will also be involved in the investigation to determine the causes of the accident and make recommendations to improve safety.

So far there are no fears of oil leaking from the ship, while it is tentatively assumed that the ship may be towed back to deeper waters during the next high tide in the evening. The NMA also works with international organizations such as the Marine Accident Investigators' International Forum (MAIIF) to enhance maritime security. This collaboration is intended to help prevent similar incidents in the future, as set out in the NMA's safety guidelines.

The investigation is continuing and the Norwegians hope that the incident can be fully resolved in order to prevent similar events in the future. An incident of a similar nature reminds the maritime community of the need for constant attention to maritime safety.