The watch officer of a massive container ship that ran aground into a garden in Norway has publicly stated that he was asleep at the time of the incident. The Ukrainian national, in his thirties, has been charged with negligent navigation following the crash that occurred on Thursday morning in Byneset, near Trondheim. Authorities revealed that the individual was the lone officer on watch when he dozed off, causing the ship to veer off course.
The Cypriot-flagged vessel, known as the NCL Salten, measures 135 meters (443 feet) and was navigating the Trondheim Fjord with a crew of 16 on board when it struck land. Fortunately, there were no reported injuries, but the ship narrowly missed a nearby house, crashing into the front garden of local resident Johan Helberg. "It was so surreal," Helberg remarked, recalling the moment he saw the ship looming outside his window.
Witnesses reported that a panicked neighbor alerted Helberg, having heard the alarming sounds of the incoming ship. "Five meters further south and it would have entered the bedroom," Helberg noted, sharing the gravity of the situation. Current efforts to refloat the ship have yet to succeed, and inquiries are being conducted to determine whether the crew adhered to safety protocols regarding working and rest hours.
Interestingly, the NCL Salten had previously run aground earlier in the year but managed to extricate itself without external assistance. This incident has triggered discussions about the vital need for crew vigilance, particularly during night shifts or isolated assignments.
