Posted on 03/23/2019 10:27:41 AM PDT by BenLurkin
Norwegian newspaper VG said the Viking Sky cruise ship ran into propulsion problems as strong winds and heavy seas hit Norway’s coastal regions Saturday.
Police in the western county of Moere og Romsdal said Saturday the ship has managed to moor in Hustadsvika Bay, between the western Norwegian cities of Alesund and Trondheim.
(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...
By degrees. Leon Klinghoffer
</Europussies>
Looks like him!
What did he know about Hillary?
I notice that on Starships that the furniture never flies around when the ship is under attack or caught in a ion storm.
The guy looks like Newt.
Yes. I understand that my calculations were based upon “horseback guesses”.
If you went in January you had to fly, so why not go out of Boston to Bermuda. No flying but it isn't a winter trip.- Tom
Let’s hope it is not a muzzie skipper.
The maritime rescue service said the Viking Sky, with about 1,300 passengers and crew on board, had sent out a mayday signal as it had been drifting toward land.
The crew were later able to restart one engine and the ship was at anchor about 2 km from land and the passengers were considered safe although the evacuation was set to continue, the rescue service said.
Only 87 people had been evacuated by 1750 GMT, and the airlift was set to continue throughout the night, rescue service spokeswoman Borghild Eldoen said. Eight of those evacuated had suffered light injuries.
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Passengers were hoisted one-by-one from the deck of the vessel and airlifted to a village just north of the town of Molde on Norway’s west coast.
Cruise passengers described the moment when the ship’s engines stopped, and the evacuation that followed.
“We were having lunch when it began to shake. Window panes were broken and water came in. It was just chaos. The trip on the helicopter, I would rather forget. It was not fun,” American passenger John Curry told public broadcaster NRK.
A second vessel, a freighter with a crew of nine, was also being evacuated nearby after suffering engine failure, diverting helicopters and thus delaying the cruise ship airlift, the rescue center added.
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Two purpose-built vessels operated by the Norwegian Society for Sea Rescue had been forced to turn back due to the severe weather, the service said.
Waves were 6-8 meters high, with wind blowing at 24 meters per second, according to the Norwegian Meteorological Institute. The storm was expected to last at least until midnight local time (2300 GMT).
The stretch of water known as Hustadvika and surrounding areas are known for fierce weather and shallow waters dotted with reefs, and Norway is evaluating whether to build a giant ocean tunnel through a nearby mountain to improve safety.
The Viking Sky, built in 2017, belongs to Viking Ocean Cruises, part of the Viking Cruises group founded by Norwegian billionaire Torstein Hagen. According to the company’s website, its passenger capacity is 930.
Several vessels and four helicopters took part in the rescue and facilities to receive passengers have been set up on land, the rescue service said.
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All search and rescue teams in the region are mobilizing, including 60 volunteers from the Norwegian Red Cross, a spokesman said.
Viking’s operational headquarters, located in Basel, Switzerland, did not respond when contacted by telephone.
Very good question.
5.56mm
“A big factor is the number of elderly people involved”
We were discussing that earlier today, having been on a cruise two weeks ago. There were soooo many people in wheelchairs and we said that when/if that time comes for us, cruises no longer would be an option for vacations.
“Viscous hot tubs?”
As another FReeper called cruise hot tubs: “Semen smoothies”. We cruise but NEVER go near a hot tub considering the high percentage of “alternative lifestyle” passengers.
On a Lee shore with no power, a sailors nightmare.
“was not fun,” American passenger John Curry told public broadcaster NRK.”
JOHN Curry? Whatever happened to “women and children first”?
You wouldn’t last long with just a life preserver.
I’m always amazed at watching a chopper hovering so steady like that in a whipping wind.
Now - if they could ever figure out a way to mimic the rocking motion of the boat below!
Obviously there is slack on the basket when folks are getting into it - but I’m guess there is some bouncing around as it gets lifted up if they miss-time the heaving boat.
We were discussing that earlier today, having been on a cruise two weeks ago. There were soooo many people in wheelchairs and we said that when/if that time comes for us, cruises no longer would be an option for vacations.
When I look at the abandon ship gear on cruise ships I believe they will work for relatively young people in good physical condition; since you would more than likely be in big seas and the ship rolling or listing.
For us who are past our shelf life we should realize we are not going to make it. Otherwise we enjoy the cruise. -Tom
Gross!
No wonder so many people get sick on those trips.
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