Cargo ship runs aground in Norway as navigator falls asleep on duty

In Norway, a serious maritime incident occurred when a cargo ship, identified as the NCL Salten, ran aground in the Trondheim Fjord shortly before 6 a.m. Investigations revealed that the ship's watch officer, a Ukrainian national in his thirties, had fallen asleep while on duty. This negligence put the vessel on a collision course with a nearby home, narrowly missing it. Fortunately, no injuries were reported among the 16 crew members on board the ship, and there were no oil spills as a result of the incident. The watch officer was subsequently charged with negligent navigation after admitting his error during police questioning. Local resident Johan Helberg witnessed the event unfold from his home and reported that he had only woken up when a neighbor rang his doorbell to alert him to the imminent danger. Helberg described his shock at seeing the cargo ship in his garden, only meters away from his home. The ship was reported as having previously run aground in 2023, during which the crew managed to free it using their own power, which indicates a concerning trend regarding the vessel's navigational safety. Following the incident, the logistics company NCL stated that they were grateful no one was harmed in the situation, labelling the occurrence a "serious incident". They also confirmed that they were cooperating fully with the ongoing investigation. Efforts to refloat the ship have been unsuccessful as crews worked to remove containers to facilitate its extraction from the shallow waters it had run aground in. Norwegian authorities raised concerns over whether regulations regarding the working and rest hours of the crew were observed, suggesting that inadequate rest could be contributing to the navigator's condition at the time of the incident. The investigation continues as the focus remains on ensuring a safe and secure salvage operation. This incident not only highlights the dangers of maritime navigation, particularly regarding crew fatigue, but also poses questions about safety regulations and practices in the shipping industry. The implications of such accidents can have long-lasting effects on both crew members' safety and the environment, particularly considering the potential for spills or other hazards.