A Ukrainian watch officer on a cargo ship has been charged with negligent navigation after falling asleep on duty, leading to the vessel crashing into a Norwegian garden. The 135m ship ran aground in Byneset, near Trondheim, and missed a house by metres before efforts to refloat it have been unsuccessful.
The officer admitted to falling asleep while steering the ship alone, which led to the vessel veering off course and running aground. There were no injuries reported, but the incident remains under investigation for potential breaches of working and rest hours rules on board.
The Cypriot-flagged cargo ship, NCL Salten, was travelling south-west through the Trondheim Fjord when it ran aground. Logistics company NCL described the incident as “serious” and praised the safe outcome.
Local resident Johan Helberg witnessed the vessel approaching his front garden before its crew managed to stop it from crashing into his house. The experience was surreal, with Helberg describing the ship as a “bulky new neighbour that will soon go away.”
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1e6jp6z6lgo